the No Mill Road Tesco Campaign

On 9th May, the Cambridge Evening News carried an article “Tesco to start work on new store in July“. In our view, many of the points raised were seriously misleading, and seemed to have swallowed Tesco’s PR spin without question.

We publish below a rebuttal of the points in the article, followed by the misleading article itself.

The following is the No Mill Road Tesco Campaign’s response to this article.

“A TESCO will open in Mill Road despite massive protests, the News can reveal.”

Tesco will not open if it does not get planning permission and if it cannot make deliveries by lorry or sell alcohol. The CEN are uncritically parroting the Tesco line that they can take approval for granted. Both the CEN and Tesco made exactly this assumption about the last set of applications, and look where it got them.

“Tesco chiefs confirmed they will forge ahead with opening the shop”

No, we have been told that they are “considering” it - not the same thing at all (You might consider chucking in your job and trying out for Manchester United but that does not mean it’s going to happen).

“Work will start on the former Wilco site in July, bosses have announced.”

They will not start work if they do not have planning permission! In any case, work could not start in July, as Tesco must know. The application, which has yet to be submitted (if it ever is), would have to go back to the East Area Committee. The EAC will meet on 5th June - which would be too early for this application even if it were submitted today. (There would have to be a period for people to comment and then the officers would have to publish their report a week before the meeting) - and the next meeting of the EAC is not until 31 July.

“An artist’s impression of how the new Tesco Express store in Mill Road will look.”

This looks like the drawing they submitted with the last lot of plans. Reissuing it is obviously designed to suggest that they have gone to the trouble of commissioning new drawings, and thus to show that they are serious about the “new application”. They haven’t.

“Tesco bosses have one hurdle left to clear, which is permission for an air conditioning and refrigeration plant.”

So, just like last year, they need planning permission to open their store. The plant, if it’s the same as last time, was identified as not meeting local authority requirements - and it was Tesco’s own acoustic report that said this.

Obviously there is also the tiny matter of not being able to make any deliveries by lorry and not having an alcohol licence, and being highly unlikely to get either.

“An application will be submitted to Cambridge City Council “shortly”.”

That’s very interesting because Raymond Brown told the campaign several times on 8th May that the application would be submitted next week. Shortly is a lot vaguer than next week, and suggests that the decision may not yet have actually been taken.

“Our plans for Mill Road have attracted a lot of attention, but also a lot of misunderstanding. We have always had the consent to operate a shop there, a fact that has often been missing from the public debate.”

Obviously the idea that we did not all know the site was already approved for use as a shop is absurd.

“As with any new store proposal from Tesco, we are keen to talk to any local groups or councillors who wish to discuss our plans.”

Michael Kissman wanted to speak to us in November; we spoke to him in November. He has shown no interest in talking to us since then. The campaign is very much hoping to have the chance to discuss their plans with him in the public inquiry. Suddenly, however, they do not seem to be quite so keen on that anymore…

“The new store will create around 20 jobs.”

This is not true. As the campaign said before, even assuming these are real figures (not just spin), only 2 of these are full time jobs, and they are not net jobs, so you would have to subtract the number of full-time jobs lost as a result of Tesco opening.

“Tesco is reviewing its original plans for an extension.”

Translated, this means Tesco know they are going to lose the appeal and so are considering withdrawing it.

The campaign’s reading of all this is as follows: Tesco are floating the idea of a smaller store both in the paper and in private conversations in order to see if it is likely to be possible (if they will get planning permission and if they will be given permission to make the deliveries they need). If they get the sense that these things will not be forthcoming, then they will go ahead with the appeal because although they expect to lose, there is always an outside chance they might win. If they get the sense that the council will give them the delivery access and planning permission they need for the smaller store, then they will cut their losses on the original plans and go for the smaller store.

It is interesting to note, though, that six of the nine grounds for appeal given by Tesco to the Planning Inspectorate related to the deliveries issue and one was to the air conditioning and refrigeration plant. Whether they try to get permission for a bigger store or a smaller one, these issues are still there. If they do not think their arguments on these points would hold up at appeal, they cannot really think they will hold up at council level either.

No Mill Road Tesco Campaign

Tesco to start work on new store in July

raymond.brown@cambridge-news.co.uk

The former Wilco store Tesco will replace.

A TESCO will open in Mill Road despite massive protests, the News can reveal.

The supermarket giant yesterday (Thursday, 08 May) dealt a blow to campaigners against the controversial Express store.

Tesco chiefs confirmed they will forge ahead with opening the shop, in a street famed for its unique independent stores.

Work will start on the former Wilco site in July, bosses have announced.

The existing building will be used after an extension was refused by planners - but the No Mill Road Tesco campaign still has a glimmer of hope.

An artist’s impression of how the new Tesco Express store in Mill Road will look.

Tesco bosses have one hurdle left to clear, which is permission for an air conditioning and refrigeration plant.

An application will be submitted to Cambridge City Council “shortly”.

Campaigners claim the store would cause traffic hell, pollution and threaten the future of independent shops.

More than 5,000 people signed a petition against the plans, 600 marched in protest through Cambridge and more than 1,000 sent letters of objection.

The Cambridge Cycling Campaign has also opposed to the move, fearing congestion from added delivery lorries as well as dangers to pedestrians and cyclists.

On March 6 councillors from Cambridge City Council’s East Area Committee approved two planning applications for a cash machine and new store frontage and signage.

Permission to operate a shop on the site already existed.

But councillors cited highway concerns when it turned down a bid by Tesco to extend the building for storage, plant and staff areas.

Since then expert designers have been drafted in to draw up plans for the existing building, as the News reported.

Those plans have now been approved by Tesco bosses who are calling in a team of contractors to complete the store.

Michael Kissman, Tesco’s corporate affairs manager, said: “We couldn’t have opened the shop we originally planned without the extension, but we have reviewed the site and developed some plans that will deliver a great shop for customers using the existing space.

“Of course, the store layout and range will be slightly different, but it will still offer a good range of fresh food and basic shopping items.

“Our plans for Mill Road have attracted a lot of attention, but also a lot of misunderstanding. We have always had the consent to operate a shop there, a fact that has often been missing from the public debate.

“I can’t imagine anyone wants this shop unit to sit empty any longer. Our plans will bring the site back into use and improve the frontage - this can only be good for the local area and economy.

“As with any new store proposal from Tesco, we are keen to talk to any local groups or councillors who wish to discuss our plans.”

But Ruth Deyermond, a spokeswoman for the No Mill Road Tesco campaign, has vowed the fight will go on.

She said: “We do not expect to see a Tesco in Mill Road. It is not economically viable and local people will carry on the successful campaign against it. We do not believe Tesco will get planning permission. We will fight it.”

The new store will create around 20 jobs.

Tesco is reviewing its original plans for an extension.

Cambridge Evening News, 9th May 2008

[This CEN article contains Tesco spin which has, yet again, turned out not to be true ...]

TESCO bosses have a secret strategy to open a store in Mill Road without further planning permission.

A team of experts and designers has already been drafted in to draw up a plan for the store in the existing building in Cambridge.

The revelation comes after the supermarket vowed to push ahead with plans for the store, despite a setback at a planning meeting on Thursday night.

Councillors threw out a bid from the supermarket giant to build an extension to the shop, which was hailed a victory for campaigners.

Sonia Cooter distributes leaflets about a protest

Since then the News has learned that store bosses have a back-up scheme already in place to open the controversial shop - bypassing the council.

Michael Kissman, Tesco’s corporate affairs spokesman, said: “Our preferred option is to have the extension, which would be better for our customers.

“We still think the extension is our best option.”
The revelation will come as a disappointment to campaigners against the store, on the street famed for its unique independent shops.

The No Mill Road Tesco campaign was triumphant after plans to extend the building were thrown out by councillors.

Campaigners and residents packed the Cambridge City Council East Area Committee planning meeting at St Philip’s Church, in Mill Road.

They cheered when councillors threw out the extension plans - but permission was granted for two signs, a shop front and an ATM.

Both sides in the battle hailed the decision as a victory.

Mr Kissman said: “This is good news for Tesco. We can now put up the sign and the ATM which means we could open the shop tomorrow.”

But Shilpa Shah, a member of the campaign committee, vowed that the protest would continue.

She said: “Obviously the campaign will carry on if Tesco open the shop whether they get planning permission or not.

“But Tesco have put it in writing that they need the extension for their fridges and storage to open the shop.”

Ruth Deyermond, planning co-ordinator for the campaign, was adamant that Tesco would not open the store.

She said: “We are ecstatic that seven councillors gave a flat no to Tesco on the extension. Tesco cannot open the store as it is. It is just not viable.”

The council has set out the reasons for refusal of the extension application.

Planners said that Mill Road is the third or fourth worst site in Cambridgeshire for clusters of traffic accidents.

They decided the extension “would seriously prejudice the safety and free flow of traffic on the public highway”.

The shortage of parking space in the area was also cited.

The campaign against the store has been mounting since the first application went in last September.

More than 5,000 people signed a petition against the plans and more than 1,000 sent letters of objection.

Cambridge Evening News, 8th March 2008

Note the spin by Tesco in this article despite their clear loss at the East Area Committee …

Tesco protesters have continued their campaign

TESCO bosses have vowed to forge ahead with plans for a store in Mill Road - despite a setback at a planning meeting last night.

Supermarket chiefs told the News today they “could open the store tomorrow” after being granted permission for two signs, a shop front and an ATM.

The tough talking comes after a vote last night against plans to extend the building, on the street famed for its small independent shops.

Tesco does not need planning approval to open the store - but wants the extra space which encroaches onto a car park for storage and deliveries.

Campaigners and residents came out in force for the Cambridge City Council East Area Committee planning meeting at St Philip’s Church, in Mill Road last night.

The site of the proposed Tesco store in Mill Road

Protesters were armed with signs which have come to symbolise the ‘No Mill Road Tesco’ campaign.

But both sides in the battle are now claiming victory after the decision by councillors.

Michael Kissman, Tesco’s corporate affairs spokesman, said: “This is good news for Tesco. We can now put up the sign and the ATM which means we could open the shop tomorrow.

“With the signage and the shop frontage we now have the basics to open a store. We would like to have the extension because we believe it would be better for the shop, the area and our customers.

“It was a good result for us and we could open up the unit now but it would be better with the extension. The reality is that we have got everything we need to open.

“It would have been a bit odd to open without a sign.

“We will now look at the details of the refusal and decide where to go from here.”

Tom Woodcock, publicity officer for the campaign, was equally defiant and told Tesco it should pack up and leave the site.

He said: “I don’t think Tesco can open the store whether it gets permission for the extension or not.

“It is just not viable for the area and in our calculations would take £2 million out of the local community as most independent traders plough money back into the local economy.

“And we estimate that the store will need up to 70 delivery lorries - the council estimate more than 40 and Tesco says it will be 40. That just won’t be possible in such a busy road. Each delivery would take up to 45 minutes.

“Tesco could open if it wanted to but it would be unsafe to do so. This has not been properly thought out in terms of access. The best thing that Tesco can do is to give up and sell the site.”

The campaign against the store has been mounting since the first application went in last September.

More than 5,000 people signed a petition against the plans, more than 1,000 sent letters of objection and 600 marched in protest through Cambridge.

Cambridge Evening News, 7th March 2008

The Cambridge Evening News published an article on the morning after our success, but then removed the article from the online edition.

The article was originally at www.cambridge-news.co.uk/cn_news_home/DisplayArticle.asp?id=262169 .

If you have a copy of the paper edition with this in, please let us know.

A protestor on Mill Road makes their views on the new store clear.

CAMPAIGNERS fighting plans for a Tesco store in Mill Road have been dealt a fresh blow.

A Cambridge City Council planning officer has recommended the latest application by Tesco be approved.

Now, hopes of the No Mill Road Tesco campaign rest on the decision of the council’s east area committee, which will determine the application when it meets next week.

The committee decided in January to delay its decision on three original planning applications after deciding the report did not go into enough detail.

In response, Tesco submitted a non-determination appeal, saying the council had taken too long over its decision. It also resubmitted the three applications for a sign, cash machine, store room and plant.

In her recommendation to councillors, Angela Briggs, a planning officer for the city council, described the applications as “acceptable” and said they “comply with the aims and objectives of the Local Plan policies”.

Richard Rippin, spokesman for the campaigners, said: “We are obviously disappointed, but it’s not a terrible surprise.

“We feel there are incredibly strong planning grounds for the plans to be rejected, and feel Tesco has used bullying tactics. It seems the planning officers are more worried about the mighty Tesco than local people with rational grounds for opposing the scheme.
“But we still have confidence our local councillors will back us - there are solid planning grounds for the application to be turned down.”

The main fears raised by objectors are that the planned cash machine would increase the amount of traffic in the Broadway area of Mill Road and encourage dangerous parking.

It has also been argued there is no need for another cash machine in the street and that the shop front would be out of keeping with the character of Mill Road. Campaigners have collected more than 5,000 signatures for their petition opposing Tesco’s plans. Cambridge Cycling Campaign has also registered its objections with the council.

If the applications are not approved by councillors, the decision would be made by an independent planning inspector, although Tesco has insisted it would prefer councillors to decide.

A Tesco spokesman said: “We have been left with no option. Four months on we still have no decision from the council. All sensible perspective has been lost.”

The supermarket giant’s move was described by Mr Rippin as a bid to “take the decision out of local democratic hands”.

The committee will make its decision when it meets on Thursday, March 6, at St Philip’s Church in Mill Road. The meeting starts at 7.30pm.

Cambridge Evening News, 29th February 2008

Protestors against the planned Tesco store for Mill Road.

CAMPAIGNERS against a new Tesco store have challenged the supermarket’s claim that few shoppers will travel there by car, after a survey of another shop in Cambridge.

The No Mill Road Tesco campaign surveyed the Tesco Express in Cherry Hinton over 12 hours on February 12 and found 110 people parked their cars on the street while they shopped. The figure rose to 142 during nine and a half hours on February 15.

There were nine deliveries on the first day and five on the second.

Tesco has said there will be 30 deliveries a week if its applications to extend the former Wilco building in Mill Road, and install new signs and a cash machine to make an Express store, are allowed.

Campaigners claim their survey of the Cherry Hinton shop shows the company’s estimates of the traffic generated by the plans are too low and also fear it will add to car parking problems due to there being far fewer spaces in the Mill Road area.

Richard Rippin, from the campaign, said: “In less than two full days, the Cherry Hinton store received almost half their projected weekly total deliveries, so it is clear that there will be far more than they say.

“On Tuesday, one lorry turned up before the time it was allowed to unload, as people who live near the Tesco Express on Chesterton Road have told us happens most days.”

He said the peak times for shoppers arriving by car and parking on the street were the morning and evening rush hours.
He added: “This tells us that a significant number of customers appear to be stopping on the way to and from work to do ‘top-up’ shopping by car.

“Since Mill Road is one of the main routes into and out of the city centre, we can be sure that at the times of day when Mill Road is already heavily congested, there would be more traffic congestion created by people, many of them likely to be parking illegally, dropping into the Tesco Express.”

No Mill Road Tesco has given the data to planning officers and members of Cambridge City Council’s East Area Committee, which will decide the application when it meets at St Philips Church, Mill Road, on March 6 at 7.30pm.

Letters to the Cambridge Evening News continue to come in from members of the public in support of our campaign to stop Tesco forcing its way into Mill Road.

• Tesco’s tactics (23rd February 2008)
• Facts wrong (7th February 2008)
• Not snobbish (2nd February 2008)
• Star letter (31st January 2008)
• Tesco effect (31st January 2008)
• Money tantrum (31st January 2008)
• Show respect (31st January 2008)
• Just avoid Tesco (29th January 2008)
• Tesco too greedy (24th January 2008)
• Traffc concerns (24th January 2008)
• Safety issues (22nd January 2008)
• Keep fighting (17th January 2008)
• Mill Road hurray (13th December 2007)
• Vibrant, active (5th December 2007) (in response to this letter)
• Tesco intrusion (3rd December 2007)

(More links will be added as articles are published and as time permits.)

Note: We contacted the Cambridge Evening News to correct them on the very misleading title of this article and to inform them of omissions in the reporting.

CAMPAIGNERS against a Tesco in Cambridge have been dealt a cruel blow by a Government watchdog.

The Competition Commission has approved supermarkets’ expansion plans sparking fears that Mill Road will become a ‘ghost town’ if Tesco opens a store there.

A national inquiry was launched following concerns that supermarkets are becoming too powerful.

One of the recent protests staged against the planned Tesco on Mill Road.

They were accused of using below-cost selling on products to ensure that smaller rivals could not compete.

But the Commission concluded: “UK grocery retailers are in general delivering a good deal for consumers.”

It decided that more supermarkets will be needed to extend competition to maintain high levels of service.

The move is a kick in the teeth for the No Mill Road Tesco Campaign. Tesco has three planning applications for an express shop in Mill Road.

Emma Lindsay, of the No Mill Road Tesco Campaign, who kick-started the protest after discovering the supermarket giant’s plans for the street famed for its unique shops, said she was saddened by the decision by the “toothless watchdog”.
She said: “I am not happy about it. I think the commission should have taken into account the impact of Tesco on small shops like we have on Mill Road. Tesco could destroy the place as we know and love it if it opens there. It already has more than 50 per cent of the grocery market in Cambridge.

“It is very disappointing but the fight will go on. I don’t think the people of Cambridge will give up lightly.”

But the watchdog is proposing some measures to curb the major retailers’ power. A supermarket ombudsman to protect suppliers from bullyboy tactics will be set up.

And a “competition test” will be established to aid councils who are responsible for supermarket planning applications.

It would give local authorities the right to favour applications from supermarkets which would provide competition to dominant stores.

But a spokeswoman for Friends of the Earth said: “The competition test will do nothing to help local shops or to promote real retail diversity.”

The Campaign to Protect Rural England said the proposals would effectively allow the big four to carve up Britain’s grocery market between them.

Cambridge Evening News, 18/02/2008

By Rachel Extance

Protesters say we may see scenes like this more often with a new Tesco.

CAMPAIGNERS fighting plans for a Tesco store on Cambridge’s Mill Road claim it will cause traffic chaos.

Members of the No Mill Road Tesco campaign group have been talking to people living near the Chesterton Tesco Express about what deliveries are like.

They say there is “constant noise” and large HGVs turn up four or five times a day. Residents living at the Mill Road end of Sedgwick Street also complain about large numbers of cars pulling up outside the shop and being parked illegally while people nip in for groceries.

Tesco want to extend the former Wilco building in Mill Road, install new signs and a cash machine to make an Express store.

The plans were to be decided last month but planning chiefs decided the report councillors would base their decision on did not go into enough detail.

The issue will now come before Cambridge City Council’s east area committee on March 6 but Tesco has decided to lodge an appeal with the planning inspectorate because the council has taken so long dealing with its application.

No To Mill Road Tesco say the city council states one of its five overall objectives in the Local Transport Plan is objectives ‘to minimise the adverse effects of transport on people and the environment’ and say their research shows Tesco’s application will do the opposite.

The campaigners quote a resident living opposite the Chesterton Tesco Express store who describes how lorries would turn up at 5.30am, despite deliveries not being allowed until 6am. The time has now been moved back to 7am but deliveries take place on weekends as well as Monday to Friday.

The resident said: “The reversing into place outside the shop involves the ‘bleeping’ and then crashing as the tail lift is put down. There is then constant noise as trolleys are pushed up and down the length of the lorries.

“There are a minimum of three deliveries per day and in actual fact there are more like four to five per day. This is because there is a separate bread delivery, then a milk delivery occurs, directly from separate companies, followed by Tesco’s own lorries.”

Public consultation on the applications runs until February 21, anyone who has already submitted their views does not need to do so again.

Cambridge Evening News, 14th February 2008

CAMPAIGNERS have fired a furious volley at Tesco bosses after they “bulldozed” council planners.

The No Mill Road Tesco Campaign has accused the supermarket giant of “arm-twisting” and “disrespect” after it bypassed slow moving councillors over plans for its store in the street famed for unique shops.

Continue reading ‘CEN article: Tesco protesters hit out at ‘arm-twisting’’ »