FURIOUS residents and traders are vowing to unite to fight tooth and nail against plans to build a Tesco store at the Bishop Centre.

More than 100 angry Taplow and Burnham residents strongly voiced their concerns at a Burnham Park Hall meeting on Wednesday night.

They are outraged at the prospect of another supermarket in the area - with Sainsbury's only 500 yards away - claiming it will desolate local business.

Edwina Glover, a Burnham independent councillor who has lived in Burnham for 26 years, said: "Going down to the Bishop Centre is one of the most unique and best shopping experiences of my life.

"The independent retailers will be completely wiped out and there's nothing in the deal for them." Land Securities, the largest commercial property company in the UK, own the shopping centre and are in the process of drawing up a planning application for the new complex, to be submitted later this summer.

That includes a 55,000 sq ft Tesco, 30,000 sq ft for retail shops, 434 car parking spaces, a new entrance junction built on Bath Road and more attractive landscaping around the complex.

The man behind the campaign, Thierry Bourret, has started the Facebook group 'Say No To Tesco In Taplow' - which has racked up over 700 'likes' - and plans to set-up a committee to fight the plans.

Burnham High Street Association Chairman, Paul Sherriff, said: "Fighting this will cost us a few thousand pounds but we have the option to submit or fight it. Something needs to be built on the site but it needs to be retail." Life-long Burnham resident Amanda Blackwell also added: "I'm fiercely passionate about Burnham and I want to do everything I can to try and protect my community." The local retailers in the centre are currently on six-month leases and will have to vacate the premises by the end of February. If the planning is accepted the new site is expected to open in 2013.

Think Burnham Chairman Viv Nicholas added: "We are now in a game where Tesco and Sainsbury's are going to fight it out against each other and we are stuck in the middle while they do it." A spokesman from Land Securities said: "We are working hard to assist the Bishop Centre retailers and doing everything we can to help relocate them." Protesters will now form a committee to fight the proposals and other meetings are planned.