ST JOHN'S is the best place for a new superstore to be built in Worcester, according to a Government report.

The claim comes in Government inspector Clifford Hughes' report into an appeal by Asda over the 60,000sq ft plan it has proposed for the former cattle market site.

The supermarket giant appealed against Worcester City Council planning committee's decision, in March, to reject its proposal.

The inspector supported the move, saying it would not enhance trade in the city and would damage the look of the historical area.

But he added that St John's would be the most suitable location for the next supermarket, as it would meet the council's aims of meeting the needs of those living "west of the river".

He also said that, while Asda's Croft Road application would not increase the miles travelled by car drivers, a store in St John's would reduce them.

"St John's, in my opinion, is capable of being a town centre in terms of national policy," he reports.

"It contains 92 retail units and a broad range of facilities and services and is both a suburban district centre and a traditional suburban centre.

"Although other parties will argue that the Sainsbury store would harm the vitality and viability of St John's, this is not the council's stance.

"The reasons for refusal are concerned mainly with over development."

David Birtwhistle, of the Save Our St John's pressure group, agrees that the area would be suitable for more food retailers, but not in the form of one large supermarket.

"We're not opposed to the idea of more food retail provisions, but we're against a monstrous store being located in St John's," he said.

"We support a smaller supermarket or more food retailers in St John's, but the proposals so far have been out-of-town stores with slight modification, which would not be suitable."