IT was a case of deja vu at Christchurch council as decisions on controversial supermarket applications were made on Tuesday evening.

At a four-hour meeting, members of the planning committee approved the scheme for Bailey Drive but refused the proposal for Morrisons to develop on Beagle's site at Stony Lane.

See how the planning meeting unfolded in our live blog

It was the second time the schemes had been before the committee after the previous decisions in June were scrapped due to potential legal action.

The latest decisions on the two applications turned out to be exactly the same as members made in June.

Bailey Drive was approved after councillors felt the provision of affordable housing and open space outweighed the harm to the town centre and loss of industrial land.

The application includes a supermarket, affordable housing, a gym, play area and pontoon for a potential ferry service.

Both developers had agreed to make highways improvements to mitigate for increased traffic.

But members felt Beagle's development was too out of keeping with the area and the loss of industrial land would be too great, refusing it five votes to three.

Cllr Peter Hall, mayor of Christchurch, said he had concerns about the impact the Beagle scheme would have on the town centre.

"I still think it will be detrimental on the town. Although it is an improvement, the impact will be far too great,” he said.

Both schemes attracted considerable support from local people and ward councillors.

In making their decisions, councillors disregarded the Magistrates Court site, included as part of the “sequential test” against which the schemes were due to be decided.

Members felt the site was not suitable or available.

An application for a supermarket at Meteor Retail Park in Somerford also re-appeared before the committee after the developer lodged an appeal, arguing the council had failed to decide the scheme.

Councillors decided to raise no objection to the appeal.