Tesco Meets the Council - Act Two

We now move to an 'update from the council's perspective'... not a huge amount for us to say here, but please read on for the new plan in detail in Act Three!

PB explained that the St Albans Core Strategy Development Plan Document Issues and Options Consultation Paper would be published on 9 July 2007. This document raises issues relating to retail needs in terms of additional food and convenience floorspace. The document outlines three area options for additional retail floorspace- FS1: East of St Albans
City Centre (including the former Eversheds site), FS2: North of St Albans City Centre and FS3: North of St Albans. PB explained that the Council must think spatially and take into account the focus of existing retail provision in relation to the city centre. PB opined that the site to the north of the City Centre (ie FS2) had potential although the site was presently in
County Council ownership. The site had been the subject of a planning brief, of which RF requested a copy. PB added that changes to housing land supply introduced by PPS3 meant that the Council would also be likely to be required to consider further housing sites. We optimistically take this bit to read we hope that the council prefers another site for a supermarket and shares our desire to build houses on the Eversheds site.

RF asked PB how this Issues and Options Paper consultation fit in overall in terms of the Local Development Framework (LDF)? PB indicated that the preferred options stage would not be reached until December 2007 and that site specific issues and options was likely to be out for public consultation in April 2008. PB explained that it was, however, difficult to be precise with timings because of the delay in the East of England Plan adoption and also a need to keep the LDF consistent with that of Dacorum Council.

PB outlined the Council’s current position relating to a number of other sites, namely:

Civic Centre South Site, Bricket Road/Victoria Street – A feasibility study has been completed (internal document only at this stage) and that this is keen to provide comparison floorspace and also encourages parties of the need for comprehensive redevelopment of the whole site. The Council has had pre-application discussions regarding the Hertfordshire House site (potentially for a hotel etc) but that this would be contrary with Policy 116 of the District Plan that states the Councils aim is a comprehensive redevelopment of the entire site.

Council Car Park, Bricket Road – the second scheme submitted for a cinema and residential use of the site has been withdrawn. Officer discussions are ongoing.

Former Odeon site, London Road – The most recent residential scheme was dismissed at appeal on design grounds.

Marks & Spencer, London Colney – Extension (mezzanine) now going ahead. The Issues and Options consultation document identifies the expansion of the existing London Colney Fields retail park for further comparison retail floorspace. This means local food retail provision is increasing. With the M&S food shop planned for the City Station and the increase in online grocery shopping, why do we need a huge Tesco?

Griffiths Way – PB indicated that discussions relating to this site have gone quiet recently but that there may be scope for intensifying the existing retail uses there.