The St Albans Review ran the first of its interview questions with Tesco this week - you can find the full article here.
The points we'd like to make in response are....
1) Please Tesco, don't claim that London Road retailers 'think the store will be a boost to the road' - we've asked them all and 77% don't want your store.
2) If you are 'well aware of the local pressure on housing' why are there so few houses in your proposal?
3) Please (again!) don't use the GL Hearn report to justify your location - as we've said many times before, it suggests a retail store closer to the centre.
4) How will building a second Tesco store increase choice for shoppers? - they can already go to Tesco!
5) Local people will be very unhappy about your lack of recycling plans - have you not seen how highly the environment is regarded in St Albans?
We'll look into the mysterious 'Vincent and Gorbing report' and continue to watch for future comments...
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2 comments:
Vincent & Gorbing consultants conducted a Retail Needs Assessment in 2000 for the Local Plan Review April 2001.
It's summary sugested an extra 16,000 sq m of retail space in the District by 2011.
For the city centre, it identified need for a food store, department store and some larger retail units (to balance the smaller 'local' stores).
This report was considered by the GL Hearn report in Jan 2006.
Chris Adkins
The consultants' reports told SADC officers and members what they wanted to hear...or told them what to say. This was everything to do with the Civic Centre area (not the 'cinema' car park) where SADC has been trying to influence other landowners i.e. Herts County Council, Health Trust, Police, Courts Service, to come together for a vast retail development opposite The Maltings. Trouble is, SADC has the weakest set of cards, their only strong hand is devlopment control, and look what happened to the latest Henry Davidson wheeze. The planning department is a very loose cannon.
So when the consultants talk of the need for a city centre supermarket, this is the area they have been instructed to focus on. A case of the tail trying to wag the reluctant/uninterested dog.
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