TESCO'S plans to build a supermarket in St John's have been given a boost by Worcestershire County Council's planning committee.

Councillors agreed that the application to build the store on the site of Christopher Whitehead High School was in accordance with the county council's structure plan.

The policy in the plan, known as D32, says, "the preferred location for new large-scale retail developments that attract many trips in the county will be within town centres".

However, if a suitable site was not available in the centre the plan allowed finding the next nearest site.

Building the store on the site of the school complied with this policy, said planning officer Jenny Read.

The county council's planning and regulatory committee yesterday rubber stamped this opinion. It will now be considered by Worcester City Council, the authority dealing with the application.