A SHOCK row has erupted over plans for a massive John Lewis-led £150 million Worcester shopping park - after hard-hitting objections were lodged from council bosses and retailers in Redditch.

Your Worcester News can reveal how the owners of the multi-million pound Kingfisher Shopping Centre, which is just about to undergo a £3 million overhaul, are trying to stop the city's huge proposed plaza from going ahead.

In a surprise intervention Redditch Borough Council has also now got involved, claiming such a big change in Worcester's shopping offer would severely damage the entire north Worcestershire economy.

Both parties have penned detailed objections to the Worcester Woods proposal, which developer Land Securities is lining up on acres of fields off Newtown Road.

The out-of-town complex, which would create 551 jobs, is for 13 shopping units spread across 394,000 square foot, one third of the entire city centre retail floor space.

Although in recent weeks four different shopping parks have objected, as well as House of Fraser, this is the first time any arguments have been made against it outside of south Worcestershire.

Last week the owners of JoJo Maman Bebe, a major High Street chain, also sent a letter to Worcester City Council warning that its CrownGate store could close if the plaza went ahead.

In the objection from the Kingfisher Shopping Centre, prepared by Capital & Regional PLC, it says the owners have "serious concern" about the impact on rival retail across the region.

It claims Worcester city centre would suffer "a significant adverse impact" and insists that as a town centre-based plaza north of the county, it is against out-of-town development "on principle".

The objection also says retailers should be urged to invest in empty units around Worcester's Angel Place, CrownGate and The Butts rather than go away from the city.

Lyndsey Berry, the town centre co-ordinator of Redditch Borough Council, has hit out at "the size and scale" of the development, arguing that it would affect the "hierarchy of Worcestershire".

She revealed the council "has a number of concerns" about it, saying it would "compete directly" with other towns and cities away from Worcester.

Land Securities, which has rejected the criticism, submitted its Worcester Woods planning application to the city council in January.

A 30,000 sq ft Marks &Spencer, 60,000 sq ft Sainsbury’s with an eight-pump petrol station, £7 million 40,000 sq ft John Lewis at Home store and a Next Home and Garden outlet are signed up so far.

Chris Fleetwood, development director for Land Securities, said: "Worcester needs to look to the future if it is to continue to thrive - this is a once in a generation opportunity for the city.

"The plans will deliver hundreds of new jobs, deliver millions of pounds of investment and attract some of the leading retailers in the UK."

A spokesman for the developer added: "The development will complement rather than compete with the city centre, and will benefit Worcester by clawing back trade currently lost to other regional centres."

The proposal could go before the city council's planning committee in September, but that now appears increasingly unlikely - with a vote some time later this year expected.