Superior Court Judge Favors Wal-Mart Expansion Plans

The Wal-Mart on Route 184 may take advantage of a recent court decision and expand by one-third its size and add a great grocery section to the store. 

According to a report in The Day, the Groton planning commission had approved the site plan for Wal-Mart’s expansion in 2011 but they have been held up in court with Stop and Shop who claims that the planning commission made a mistake. 

Stop and Shop says that the expansion would likely increase traffic on the access road that connects the Stop and Shop on Route 12 to the Wal-Mart on Route 184. 

Wal-Mart plans to expand by 40,000 square feet and use 160,000 square feet of the total store space for a new grocery section. 

New London Superior Court Judge Joseph J. Purthill said “it was not his place to second-guess a local commission” and that he could only judge in favor of Stop and Shop if the commission had been ‘unreasonable, arbitrary or illegal.” 

Wal-Mart has not yet requested permits to build but has talked to Groton Town planners recently. 

Read the full report on The Day.