Proposals for a new supermarket in Wymondham have been given the go-ahead at a special council meeting.

South Norfolk Council's development management committee approved an application to build a supermarket in Postmill Close and rejected an application for a foodstore on the former sale ground site in Station Approach.

A spokesman for the applicants, the Retail Development Partnership (RDP), said they were in talks with three of the country's largest supermarket chains, but refused to disclose which ones.

The supermarket plans for the former Semmence Coach depot, which will include 200 car parking spaces, received a petition signed by 57 residents on Norwich Road objecting to the extra traffic and safety concerns.

RDP has included an additional access route linking Postmill Close with Harts Farm Road via a car sales business, but councillors raised concerns that the new access would turn into a thoroughfare.

Councillor Tim East said: 'When you open it up it will be a rat-run – we are building a rat-run for the future.'

The Co-Operative Group, which has a town centre store, also objected.

A spokesman said: 'We understand that the Postmill Close site is sequentially preferable but a lot of people will drive to the store and drive away again. There won't be spin-off benefits to the town centre.'

An RDP spokesman said: 'The Postmill Close site has been criticised as not being attractive to retailers, but my client is in discussion with three of the country's biggest retailers.'

Councillors expressed concerns that the increase in traffic could be dangerous to schoolchildren, but they were assured a new crossing would be built on Norwich Road.

They also feared existing businesses on the site would be uprooted and that the increase in traffic could be dangerous to schoolchildren but they were assured no jobs would be lost, businesses would be relocated and a crossing would be built on Norwich Road.

Plans for a third supermarket by Asda on Kings Head Meadow were dropped earlier this year.

lucy.wright@archant.co.uk