Barnstaple Tesco plan approved
PLANS for a massive Tesco store in Barnstaple have been approved at a heated planning meeting.
The controversial planning application to site the store at Seven Brethren Bank was considered by the planning committee at North Devon Council.
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Councillors voted 14 - 10 to allow the development.
Nine Liberal Democrat councillors and one independent councillor voted against the plan.
The 14 votes for the plan were all from the council's ruling Conservative group.
A packed public gallery watched a lively two hour debate at the council chamber.
Cllr Faye Webber said: "I am not personally against the application. But can we take the chance of seeing what we have built up in Barnstaple reversed by this application? It is the straw that breaks the camels back."
Cllr Webber left before the end of the meeting and did not vote.
Cllr Chris Haywood, who voted against the application, said: "Barnstaple is a unique market town and tourists come here each year to take in its unique heritage. By approving this application, we will make it look like any other town."
Cllr Malcolm Prowse also voted against the application. He said the amount of non-food floor space which would be allowed in the Tesco store was roughly the same size as the pannier market.
Cllr Colin Payne, who voted against the application, said he could not approve the application because the council had not acted in the spirit of new government planning guidance PPS4 — which was to look at how it would affect the town centre.
He said: "We have not yet followed the guidance as we were supposed to which is really worrying me. We always seem to be subject to some sort of financial or legal blackmail as to how we deal with these applications."
But Cllr Richard Jones, who proposed approval of the application, said there were no planning grounds on which to refuse the application.
He said the crux of the argument was not about how many supermarkets exist already in the area.
"This application must be judged solely on its merits, which cannot be argued."
Cllr Paul Crabb, who voted to approve the application, said some councillors were verging on breaking the law with their comments.
He said: "It is not within the law to say you would turn it down just because it is Tesco. Yes the decision will not be popular, but we are here almost as a jury in a court of law and must vote in the proper way."
Keith Bines, planning officer, also told the members he did not think the store would affect the towns trade as most independent shops filled a niche market.
Four members of the public spoke against the application, all receiving a round of applause after they spoke.
Cllr Jasmine Chesters, chairman of the planning committee, said it broke her heart to approve the application — but she had no other option.
The store will be on the site of the existing Brian Ford's store which Tesco secretly bought in 2003.
The proposals also feature a petrol station and car wash.
A condition of the planning agreement is to create a new road between Station Road and Seven Brethren Bank.
There will also be a car park with 497 spaces.
The application, which has a long history of controversy, was deferred from a meeting in December because of a change in Government policy.
New guidance requested all planning authorities to proactively plan to promote competitive town centre environments and provide consumer choice.
No consulting bodies objected to the Tesco application, although the Environment Agency highlighted concerns over flood-risk. A number of conditions to lessen flood risk were attached to the plan.
Barnstaple's Town Centre Management group also flagged up fears over the size of the store and its potential impact on the vitality and viability of the town.
North Devon MP Nick Harvey has warned a new Tesco store could have a devastating impact on the High Street.
There were seven letters of objection to the plan including an objection from Barnstaple and District Chamber of Commerce.
64 Comments
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by Andy, Barnstaple
Saturday, June 12 2010, 12:07PM
“Amen Helen - there's always a chance...
Anyone who doubts the impact of supermarkets on local economies should do some reading around; job losses, the closure of local businesses, loss of choice, more traffic congestion... There are many studies that show the destruction large stores reap - including some published by the government and one by the supermarkets themselves - on local economies. A good starting point is George Monbiot's Captive State, for anyone who's interested.
So Boycott Tesco! Write to Nick Harvey, or better still to the address below and get a public enquiry.
Remember, optimism is good - if we put up enough opposition, they can't build here...
There's a Facebook page for this at:
facebook.com/nototescobarnstaple”
by Helen, Barnstaple
Thursday, April 01 2010, 6:11PM
“There is yet another stage before this development is finally agreed, The matter is to be referred to the Government Office South West who may choose to hold a public enquiry. The Office accepts written representations from consumers. The address to write to is:-
Mike Walton
Planniing Manager
Mast House
Shepherds Wharf
24 Sutton Road
Plymouth
PL4 0HJ
If you have concerns either with regard to the methods by which this outcome was achieved, or with regard to the adverse effect it will have, or both, then it is important to write.
The application was referred to the Office of Fair Trading last year. A point in Tesco's favour was that the Office had received nothing from consumers. Let not the same mistake be made again.
If all else fails, Tescos depends on consumers. You don't have to shop there. There are alternatives in the form of local shops as well as other supermarkets. Use them or they too will go. Finally, I would ask all those in favour of the development to consider what would happen to prices then.”
by (G)rowing (O)ld (D)isgracefully, The Banana Republic of North Devon
Tuesday, March 23 2010, 8:09AM
“The point that all of you who have made comments on Tesco's proposed new store have missed is the reason why our shopping habits have changed so much which is due the huge social and work revolution that has taken place since the 2nd World War - the consumer society. Being in receipt of a bus pass (and also of a curmudgeonly disposition) I can remember my mother doing all our shopping in local shops as there were no supermarkets. BUT she did not work either as there was no need for a second income in the household as there were no 'luxury' items to buy - televisions, cars, foreign holidays, electronic toys for the children, therefore a man's wage was enough to support his family. It is only the rise of consumerism that has forced women to go out to work to pay for all the once luxuries that are now deemed to be necessities of life. So ones wife/partner/ mother no longer has the time to go shopping every day for fresh local produce and only has the time to go shopping once and has to get everything she wants in one place. Having moved down to North Devon 30 years ago I personally regret the decline in individual local traders but can a small business now afford high street rents as probably a lot of the property is owned by large corporate companies who charge exorbitant rents.”
by Sam, Barnstaple
Monday, March 22 2010, 3:50PM
“Don't let tesco in please.”
by David, Barnstaple
Monday, March 22 2010, 3:47PM
“We should support local shops”
by anon, LOCAL
Friday, March 19 2010, 9:59PM
“I agree with one comment about Tesco's having deliveries by rail but they have rejected the idea. It would be the most sensible thing to do with the railway station nearby and take lorries etc., off our very busy Link Road. Yes why hasnt this been picked up by the Council our MP and other authorative party.
Also is the Rose Lane store remaining? If not as there are housing estates in the area and no doubt many people may not have cars and they are "regular" shoppers at this store how will they do their shopping? Will Tesco's provide a "free bus" to cover this area? Maybe one of the Executives of Tescos may read all these comments made by people and answer some of the questions in the NDJH.
I wonder if they will keep the media informed of developments as and when the work starts - silly remark - dont hold your breath folk !!!!
I saw another comment about the store in Braunton. That is a different kettle of fish as Braunton only had one supermarket and that is Somerfields so they needed one.
Oh well lets watch this space!!!”
by old fart at play, Barum
Friday, March 19 2010, 8:34PM
“"keep out of tescos and use your local shops - keep the money in devon!" - devonian, north devon
I never shop in Tesco but the last time I used my local greengrocer they tried to sell me half a small cabbage for £2.50.
That pretty much sums up local shopping for me - I can't afford to get ripped off, even if it is by local shops.”
by Bernie, Barum
Friday, March 19 2010, 8:12PM
“Having got approval for a new store at Seven Brethren why does Tesco now need to apply for planning permission for a free standing retail kiosk at its Whiddon Valley store - see planning apps current ND Journal page 82”
by History man, N D
Friday, March 19 2010, 7:34PM
“It's an absurd idea that we should all do our food shopping in local town centre shops. Even if there were any general grocers shops, how would they ever cope with the numbers of shoppers or be able to carry the range of goods we have come to expect. If the thousands who now shop at the out of town supermarkets were to descend on the town there would be chaos. The traffic would be gridlocked, the streets would be choked with people trying to get to the shops which would probably be stripped bare of goods within minutes of opening. We would have to queue for hours, and of course have to shop only during the time that most of us are expected to be at work. For years now developers have been building housing estates which has increased the population by thousands, but at the same time there has been very little development of our infrastructure. Supermarkets are not just a convenience but a neccessity. The view that as a society we can revert to a non-supermarket enonomy is just rose tinted nostalgia.”
by bill the butcher, s molton
Friday, March 19 2010, 6:30PM
“come on you moaners, lets go for the record number of comments on a journal story !”