NEGLECTED New Barnet town centre is being left to the mercy of supermarket giants, according to residents.

They fear planners will give the thumbs-up to plans by Asda and Tesco to regenerate the area because Barnet Council has no town centre planning strategy.

Last week a Tesco Express in Victoria Road was approved by the Planning Inspectorate, despite being turned down by the council.

New Barnet Community Association spokesman David Howard said: “The council should have put together a strategy for New Barnet years ago to save us from being pawns in a battle between these corporate giants.

“It promised to deliver one last year, but still it neglects to follow through with its promise. Without one it’s much easier for the Planning Inspectorate to approve applications because it’s unclear what residents want and where.

“We are not against private development, but it needs to be in line with the needs of the community.”.

The council promised last April to finalise a strategy for New Barnet, along with three other borough town centres.

A spokesman said a New Barnet town centre strategy would be prepared “shortly”, but denied it would have prevented the Tesco Express being approved.

He said: “The council has robust policies in place to consider all planning proposals and therefore it would be wrong to claim a town centre strategy document would have led to a better chance of the application being rejected.”

The Planning Inspectorate confirmed all documents submitted by the local authority have a bearing on its decisions.

A spokesman said: “We would consider all relevant evidence given to us by the locality during the inquiry stage.”

According to the council, the proposed town centre strategies would set out "the aspirations” to guide pre-application discussions with developers and allow planning applications to be “shaped with an eye towards all factors affecting that town centre over the next five to 15 years”.

In a letter dated April 3, 2008, Barnet director of planning Stuart Murray wrote: "It has been appreciated that the policy approach needs some updating in the light of recent development pressures, including Asda and Tesco.

"The programme for the New Barnet Town Centre development framework is this summer with full public consultation and community engagement being programmed, subject to approval of cabinet.

"The framework will seek to address the development site issues and pressures from individual developers, including Asda and Tesco."

Asda’s proposal, submitted to the council on February 16, would involve the demolition of existing buildings on the old Gasworks site to make way for a 10,500-sq-metre supermarket, 211 residential units, shops, restaurants, car parking and community space.

More than 2,500 residents have signed a petition opposing the plan, which they believe will bring gridlock, noise and pollution to the town centre, and squeeze out smaller retailers.

They are also opposed to a Tesco regeneration project planned for the area inside Victoria Road and East Barnet Road, although Tesco is yet to submit a formal application.