A Very Busy Anti-Tesco Day!

Maybe it's because summer is officially nearly over and people's thoughts turn to opposing Tesco's latest developments, but there are lots of stories today about people opposing Tesco up and down the country...

Firstly, at home in St Albans, local resident Polly Robinson writes to the Herts Advertiser to suggest a little joined up thinking and the building of a much needed primary school on the Eversheds site. Thanks Polly!

In the wider world,

• Tesco's highly unpopular application to build in Mill Road, Cambridge has been referred to the Competition Commission by the leader of Cambridge City Council, according to the Cambridge Evening News.
• GetReading reports Tesco's plans to open two new stores within a mile of each other. A local councillor commented, "I think there is a fear that Tesco could completely monopolise the local market".
• ThisisNorthScotland has a story about Tesco appealing against a decision to allow them to build a massive store in Inverness.
  
• The News & Star reports further delays in Tesco's plan to build on a site in Workington that is currently used for public recreation. The delay is blamed on Tesco, surprisingly...

Of course, in St Albans, we're waiting to hear about Tesco's latest 'consultation'.

Consultation Feedback Says No To Supermarket

Ian has been doing some digging (thanks!) into the results of the council's Issues and Options consultation, which we highlighted a few weeks ago. We were specifically interested in Question 33a) which related to the future use of the Eversheds site.

Despite the incredible complexity of getting a comment on the site, 45 people and organisations did comment through the internet. You can see all the responses here, but we've a couple of highlights below.

Firstly, there were 38 objections to the site being used for a supermarket, from local people, residents associations and English Heritage, 84% of the total. Thanks to you all! English Heritage said,

"The site identified as FS1 has implications for the adjoining conservation area. The scale of the site appears excessive in the context of the surrounding townscape and traffic is likely to result in degradation of the area."

Secondly, of the 6 supportive comments, we find it interesting that one came from Tesco and a second from housebuilders Linden Homes (who are building in Victoria Street and obviously think the extra traffic and pollution will not affect potential buyers...)

Finally, there was also an observation from Herts County Council's Passenger Transport Unit. It made a point we've made before, which is that public transport does not actually serve the site, saying,

"The entrance is proposed from London Road which is not directly served by buses. Buses presently use Alma Road and consist mainly of inter-urban routes travelling from St Albans to London Colney. In terms of accessibility by local town services the site is poorly served."

Cambridge Campaign Update

Over 4,000 people have signed a petition against Tesco's plans for Mill Road, Cambridge, according to the Cambridge Evening News.

Does Tesco Ever Take Notice of 'NO'?

One thing that we're very aware of is that Tesco obviously doesn't find the time or cost of multiple planning applications at all onerous - unlike the local councils and campaign groups who spend years rejecting one application after another.

icWales reports on the anger and frustration in the village of Pontyclun caused by Tesco. The company is appealing against one planning application while at the same time putting in a second application.

Another MP Opposes Another Tesco

The Macclesfield Express reports that MP Sir Nicholas Winterton is opposing a new Tesco in the village of Poynton. It also reports that over 500 local people recently demonstrated against Tesco's plans!

Sir Nicholas's problems are eerily similar to ours in St Albans. He told the paper,

"Another Tesco store will undoubtedly have a huge impact on the local community and, in particular, on the small retail sector.

"Whilst Tesco’s corporate affairs manager for the North West assures me that Tesco will help bring both jobs and customers back to Poynton, this will surely be at the expense of local independent retailers.

"Secondly, the village is unable to cope with the increased traffic pressure that a Tesco supermarket with 110 parking spaces would cause. Poynton already suffers greatly during rush hour with congestion.

"Finally, a new Tesco development would mean the destruction of the old cinema building and its replacement with a construction which is far less pleasing to the eye and deprive Poynton of its filling station.

"That will mean that drivers will have to go to Hazel Grove to fuel their vehicles."

More Local People Say No

Tesco's planned store in Cambridge is attracting predictable levels of opposition. The Cambridge Evening News reports that 74% of local people are against a new store, and over 2,250 people have signed a petition saying so. Tesco's plan for Cambridge has many things in common with their plans for St Albans - an unwanted development in an historic city that will damage the business prospects of trusted local traders. Find out more about the 'No Mill Road Tesco' campaign here.

Tesco Doesn't Listen and Is Rejected...

According to the Bradford Telegraph & Argus today, Tesco has been refused planning permission for another store. This time, it was because it refused to reduce the height of the store and the possibility of a future extra story, perhaps one of Tesco's famous 'mezzanine' extensions!

What is interesting is that Tesco claims to be 'disappointed' by the rejection. As one local puts it 'they knew what they had to do'!

In another case today in Wrexham, the Evening Leader reports that Tesco was twice found to be selling out-of-date food - on the second occasion, six weeks after the first, 67 items were found to be out-of-date. Tesco's solicitor blamed 'tremendous pressure' around Christmas - but it's hardly in the Christmas spirit to endanger your customers, is it?

Stop Tesco Using New Planning Laws!

A letter from David Dorking to the Herts Advertiser today urges local residents to write to Anne Main MP to enlist her opposition the the forthcoming Planning Reform Bill. David fears that if the Bill is passed Tesco will not face the current Needs and Impacts Tests.

Please email Anne Main at maina@parliament.uk and ask for her support in this. Thanks, David, for the letter!

Does Tesco Owe Local Residents for Delay?

An interesting letter from local resident Les O'Leary reaches the St Albans and Harpenden Review. He asks,

"Property owners in the vicinity of the Tesco's derelict site on London Road, St Albans, have suffered eight years of loss of amenity and I would assume property values. This is set to continue.

"Do readers know of any legal (statutory or civil) route to recovering such losses from Tesco, perhaps with penalties? I am thinking that persons who have sold properties in the period could, if the evidence can be gathered, demonstrate a financial loss. Perhaps part of all of this loss may be recoverable?"

"Such a case would also attract significant popular support I think and could establish an important precedent that would deter developers from cynically trashing such neighbourhoods for commercial gain".

Any ideas?

UPDATE: Further to this letter, Les has been in touch with Stop Tesco and plans to explore this further! Les also provided us with his calculation that a store the size of Tesco's proposed one will take at least £13.6 million per annum - even by Tesco's own admission, 80% of this will come from other retailers in the City. (Les based this calculation on the Guardian's article that we covered here). Thanks!

Tesco Rejected in Ireland

Tesco has withdrawn an application for a new store in Northern Ireland because of the impact on local traders, according to The Guardian. The supermarket giant wanted to build a store that would have generated annual turnover of £16 million, but the Northern Ireland Independent Retail Trade Association pointed out that the annual turnover of all the businesses in Ballycastle's commercial centre is only £12m. It alleged that the town's three butchers, four chemists and mini-markets would have faced ruin.

A spokeswoman for Tesco said:

"We listened to the views of the people in the local area and, as a result of that, we have withdrawn our appeal and are reviewing our options."

Why can't you do the same in St Albans?

Tesco On Stilts Rejected

More sanity, as a planned 70,000 square foot Tesco 'on stilts' has been turned down by Communities Secretary Hazel Blears, reports the News and Star.

One scary aspect is that Carlisle City Council had to spend more than £100,000 to put the case against Tesco at a public inquiry earlier this year. Why do local people have to go to such lengths to oppose unpopular schemes?

St Albans Council Leader Slates Tesco Delay

Tesco is really annoying councillors in St Albans. Following on from yesterday's statement by planning portfolio holder, Cllr Chris Brazier, council leader Cllr Robert Donald has weighed in against Tesco.

Speaking to the St Albans Review website, he said that further delays would make residents 'suspicious' of Tesco, adding,

"We know how developers carry on. They did it with the Mile House and they've done it with other developments. But Tesco haven't even put in a planning application.

"If it hasn't really changed that much then it could just be seen as trying to wear down residents by spinning it out as long as possible.

"I'm more than aware that there are some people who would like to have a Tesco there but it has to be of benefit to the community living in that area and across the city and, from what was produced last time around, it wouldn't have been. It would have done damage to the environment and our infrastructure."

We'd agree with everything he says, although we've yet to meet more than a couple of people who would like a Tesco!

PS - Good to see that Tesco's Michael Kissman is also quoted. Apparently he said,

"We've already taken many comments from the community on board and we want to get input again for the new proposals before we submit."

Please stop these weasel words, Michael. You know that the vast majority of local people and local businesses don't want a Tesco store, which is why you're not going ahead with the previous scheme. Unfortunately, you've been told by your bosses to try to get around this, with the help of your army of highly paid 'planning consultants'. Please, if you have any respect for the people of St Albans, you'll go back and tell your bosses to try elsewhere - there are places in the country that want Tesco, but not here!

PPS - and as if by magic, to underscore Cllr Donald's point, here's a link to an article in the Norwich Evening News - Tesco is set to put in a FOURTH application to build a store in the city. Local councillor Chris Hull told the paper,

“Our campaign is still as strong as ever, and we are determined to fight Tesco all the way.

“We were expecting them to submit another application as they hope over the years the will to resist will weaken, but now there are even more people who have moved into the Unthank Road area who do not want Tesco here, so we have a strong case.”

Council May Buy Tesco Land for Homeless!

The Herts Advertiser has an article online here that follows up our post yesterday. The article also demonstrates that Tesco is not making friends in the council, quoting Chris Brazier, the council's planning portfolio holder as saying,

"The earliest planning application now will be the Spring. I am not at all happy about this because we are being left in limbo."

"I think what Tesco do is land-bank and if they get a lot of resistance they go away for a while and then come back with another consultation exercise. Even after that there might not be a planning application."

According to the article, Cllr Brazier also "warned Tesco that the council was considering using new powers given to local authorities by Government to repossess empty properties and use them to house the homeless." Go for it, we say!

UPDATE: Further coverage of this in the Herts Advertiser. It looks like this might actually go somewhere!

Here We Go Again!

According to a press release received today by the Herts Advertiser (which we've not seen!), Tesco has announced that it will be consulting on its new proposals (essentially those already on our website!) 'in the winter'.

Our view, as expressed to the paper, is that...

• Tesco has not addressed any of the concerns raised by local people, except in one small detail - not knocking down as many locally listed buildings as it initially wanted to. The new store will still cause a massive increase in traffic and pollution and damage to locally listed houses. It will still use land that should be used for affordable, green housing and a much-needed school.
• Tesco must now accept that local people do not want the store - 83% of 186 local businesses polled, over 90% of local people in every survey undertaken, every local and national politician that represents the area, every local residents group, and well over 5,000 people who signed a petition against the proposal cannot be ignored.
  
• Local people and businesses are becoming increasingly frustrated by Tesco's lack of momentum. Tesco promised to put in a planning application for the site early this year - now it looks like being at least a year late. This has been a year of uncertainty which is probably contributing to the decline of St Albans City Centre - who would open a food store in the centre with the threat of the Tesco store?
• During Tesco's last delay, the Council has made it clear, in its Issues and Options document, that if there is to be another supermarket in St Albans, it should be to the North of the City on undeveloped land.
  

We'll be issuing details of this 'consultation' as soon as we find out more.