THE development of a massive superstore in Bridgwater is still to get off the ground – a year after the project was given the green light.

This time last year Sedgemoor planners granted planning permission for Tesco’s Northgate store, which at the time was aiming to open this summer.

But this week a spokesman for Sedgemoor District Council said the terms of a legal agreement called a section 106 – which covers community contributions from developers – were “still being negotiated”.

Bridgwater councillor Ian Tucker said he has been asking Sedgemoor District Council about the terms of the 106 agreement.

He told the Mercury: “One of the main things SDC said people would benefit from was free car parking at the new development for three hours but when I looked at the agreement Tesco said it ‘may’ include this.

“It’s this sort of thing that we’re trying to get straight.”

The project has proved controversial among residents and around 50 members of the public crammed into the meeting last February which saw permission granted following two and a half hours of debate.

Councillor Brian Smedley, who has long opposed the development, told the Mercury: “Tesco seems to be going through a global shake-up and they’re putting more emphasis on their smaller Tesco local stores.

“We planted daffodils a year ago on the Brewery Field to show the boundary of the Tesco development and they have just come up now.

“Our hope is that they continue to grow there in Tesco’s place.”

The store would create 260 jobs, and another eight commercial units, to be built around where the Splash used to be, would create a further 120 jobs.

Joint landowners Somerset County Council and Sedgemoor District Council will receive around £11million from Tesco.

A Tesco spokesman said: “We are continuing discussions with the council and will keep the community updated.”