ANGRY traders have slated plans to build a supermarket in the heart of Malvern Link, saying it will destroy their businesses.

The scheme for the former Eurohaus garage in Worcester Road, Malvern Link, is due to come before Malvern Hills District Council's southern area development control committee when it meets tomorrow night.

But Graham Perkins, owner of Link Antiques on Worcester Road, said it involved on-road parking spaces used by customers being removed, which would hit his business.

He has been trading in Malvern Link for about 30 years and said plans to install a further set of lights along the road would also cause traffic gridlock.

"Nobody's ever thought this through. It is going to destroy the Link.

"The planners have got no idea - there's such feeling against it but no one seems to represent us."

The Lidl scheme involves the demolition of the garage and redevelopment of a 1,400 square metre store and 74 parking spaces. It also includes four houses.

The opposition from businesses comes after furious residents criticised the scheme in Friday's edition of the Worcester News over traffic worries.

Fellow trader Paul Price of the York Caf in Worcester Road, also said proposals for Lidl to offer spaces in their car park for customers of other stores were just pointless.

"I've been here 30 years and the Link was a beautiful place but now they've built in every available place," he added.

"It's not a case of Lidl saying they've spaces we can use because we get large vehicles pulling up here at the moment

"They're not going to be bothered with pulling into a car park on a supermarket and trying to reverse into a space."

The council has received 31 letters of objections and 13 letters of support.

Development control manager David Murray said the highways' authority had raised no objections and hoped Lidl would enter an agreement to provide replacement parking.