One of NAiWs key concern is the height of the proposed building - why does it need to be so high? 11m in places!! ASDA could reduce the height of the store and improve its appearance.
A little digging has highlighted the answer - they want the ability to build a mezzanine level in the store.
A Guardian article from February 2004 reports that Asda plans to install mezzanines in 40 of its stores. In most cases the extra space is used to expand the store's non-food products, putting it in direct competition with the high street. The same article reports that 13,000 specialist shops closed between 1997 and 2002.
And examples of where it has occurred: