the No Mill Road Tesco Campaign

[This example is significant as it demonstrates that council officers are able to reject plans on the basis of "adverse impact on the vitality and viability of nearby local centres and retail provision".]

Tesco Plan refused [in Preston, Lancashire]

Traders and residents around the Lane Ends area of Ashton in Preston have expressed their relief that plans for a new convenience store have been rejected.

They had submitted a petition with 1,000 signatures and 317 letters of objection against the Tesco Convenience store planned for the site of the former HSS Lift and Shift base near Tulketh Mill.

Today council officers rejected the plan due to the insufficient parking provision and because it would have an “adverse impact on the vitality and viability of nearby local centres and retail provision” within the area.

Continue reading ‘‘Tesco plan refused’ in Preston, Lancashire - campaigning works!’ »

Yet another example of Tesco pulling out of plans after local opposition. [See more ...]

Tesco puts garage site up for sale

Supermarket chain Tesco has pulled out of plans to open its first store in Darlington.

Tesco yesterday admitted it had dropped proposals to build an Express shop on a former petrol station in the town’s North Road.

A spokesman revealed it had, instead, put the site up for sale.

Juliette Bishop, from Tesco, said: “We are disappointed that our planning application for the site on North Road has been unsuccessful.

“We remain convinced that our plans would benefit the local area, as well as regenerating a derelict site.

“However, after taking some time to consider our options, we have decided to no longer progress plans for this site.”

Councillors rejected the third set of plans for the former Shell garage on December 12.

Tesco had also appealed against the council’s previous refusal for the 107,000 sq ft store in the Harrowgate Hill area of the town.

Councillor Mark Burton, who represents Harrowgate Hill on Darlington Borough Council, had earlier this week contacted the company to ensure the site was tidied up as Tesco had promised last month.

He said: “I am very surprised.

Tesco generally fights tooth and nail.

“It would be nice to see it sold onto a housing developer for houses relatively the same as those in the area.”

Tesco bought the site for £500,000 last January, four months after an initial set of plans for a mini-supermarket were refused.

Coun Burton said: “I can see it being derelict for quite some time. That is the last thing people really want.”

Shell closed the petrol station in February 2005 and put the site up for sale.

The site was then plagued by anti-social behaviour until fencing was erected around it.

In August 2006, plans were unveiled for a 24-hour Tesco store and 130 apartments on the present town hall site.

The council later refused the plans after a petition with more than 10,000 names was handed in to the council.

Tesco’s only presence in Darlington is a One Stop shop, in Yarm Road, whose parent company was bought by the chain in Jaunary 2003. It still operates under the One Stop name.

The Northern Echo, Wednesday 9th January 2008

Yet another article showing that Councillors are often able to reject such applications, even against the advice of council officials. (See more cases elsewhere.)

Why we booted out new Tesco plans [in Norwich]

Controversial plans to build a Tesco Express on Unthank Road have yet again been rejected in what was today hailed by opponents to the store as a victory for democracy.

Councillors on City Hall’s planning committee yesterday overwhelmingly rejected proposals for the store on a former petrol station site for the second time in a month on grounds of highway safety and congestion.

The application by the supermarket giant was turned down in a previous planning committee meeting on December 6, against the recommendation for approval by planning officers, but councillors then asked officers to produce a report setting out the exact wording for the reasons for refusal.

Continue reading ‘Tesco plans in Norwich refused - campaigning works!’ »

The Keep Chorlton Interesting group reports that the Planning Committee in their area voted to refuse the application to build a Tesco Express at 84 Manchester Road, Chorlton, Manchester. They voted unanimously against the planning department’s recommendation for approval. Sadly, Tesco have lodged a “non-determination” appeal, so their fight is not over yet.

However, congratulations to them from us in Cambridge!

Earlier in November, they issued a statement of support for our own Campaign in Cambridge:

The Keep Chorlton Interesting group has been campaigning since March against the application to build a Tesco Express in Chorlton, Manchester and is a coalition of local people, councillors and independent retail businesses. Last Thursday we won an important step forward in the campaign against the Tesco application.

The Council Planning Department’s recommendation was to approve the application. But following our campaign the planning committee Councillors voted unanimously for a “Minded to Refuse” motion. We still have a lot of work to do - but this was an important victory.

We take heart from Finchley where the Council’s decision to refuse a Tesco Express was upheld by the Planning Inspectorate. We can - and will - win - so can your campaign.

They also had done a shopping basket comparison, which, like our own comparison, found that a Tesco Express in their area was more expensive than local independent shops.

The Manchester Evening News also had a story of interest:

Continue reading ‘Keeping Chorlton Interesting - campaigning works!’ »

Conservationists have hailed a council’s decision to refuse permission for a Tesco supermarket in the Norfolk seaside town of Sheringham.

	Tesco store: The decision has been hailed as a ‘real victory’

Councillors from North Norfolk district council took the decision unanimously, by a vote of 17-0, against a recommendation from their officials to approve the 1500 sq metre store.

The controversial proposal has been the subject of a ten-year-long battle between the retailer and opponents within the town.

It became a cause célèbre last year when it emerged that the council had signed a legal agreement with Tesco that it had kept secret for years, and that as a result of the agreement the council was blocking the development of an alternative, smaller retail development in the town.

Officials had warned councillors that they would be liable to pay legal costs if the retailer chose to appeal.

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Tom Oliver, Head of Rural Policy at the Campaign to Protect Rural England, said: “The decision by North Norfolk District Council sends a clear message of hope for local communities up and down the country that the supermarket onslaught can be successfully resisted

“Those in Government who urge an easing of planning rules for supermarkets should think again and listen to the will of the people expressed today in Norfolk.”

The Government’s forthcoming planning Bill would remove the ability of local planners to decide on the “need” for a retail development.

Sandra Bell, supermarket campaigner for Friends of the Earth said: “The decision to say No to Tesco in Sheringham is a real victory for the local community and for democracy.

“Elected councillors in North Norfolk should be congratulated on standing up to the retail giant and acting to protect the character and vibrancy of this seaside town.

“They were absolutely right to go against the recommendation of planning officers which put forward a flawed case for approving a superstore development which would have wiped out local shops in the town and increased traffic and congestion.”

A spokesman for Tesco said: “This is a sad day for the majority of Sheringham’s residents who will now have to wait for a store.”

Tesco still have an appeal outstanding against the alleged failure of the council to decide a planning application for a virtually identical development in 2003. This has yet to be decided by a planning inspector.

Daily Telegraph, 22nd November 2007

Plans to build a Tesco store in the Norfolk town of Sheringham were yesterday rejected by councillors after a long battle against the supermarket. But the decision will now be reconsidered by a larger council planning committee in three weeks. Campaigner Eroica Mildmay said: “We are not going to give up. But it seems that North Norfolk district council’s unelected planners are saying ‘you can have any answer as long as it is yes’.” A Tesco spokesman said: “We were really pleased that people from Sheringham came to the planning meeting and spoke in support of the scheme.”

The Guardian, Saturday 3rd November 2007

Following the recent defeat for Tesco in Ireland comes the news that another proposed Tesco store in Tolworth (London) has also been stopped.

ThisIsMoney reports that:

“Plans to build a superstore and 662 homes at Tolworth, near Kingston, south west London, have been withdrawn in the face of all-out opposition from residents and shopkeeper. [...]
The decision comes after a Competition Commission’s report highlighted concerns about the emergence of ‘Tesco towns’ where only one company can prosper.”

This appears to be a very similar situation to Mill Road, With a large Tesco within 2 miles.

We hope that Tesco will do right thing and withdraw their plans for a Mill Road Tesco in Cambridge.

ThisIsMoney also reported earlier this year on the ‘Sly tricks of the supermarkets‘.

Today’s Guardian includes a story entitled ‘Ballycastle traders foil retail giant’s cause‘ about Tesco abandoning their plans to build an out-of-town store on the edge of Ballycastle after a local campaign.

The Belfast Telegraph also covers the same issue, in its article, ‘People power forces Tesco rethink on superstore plans‘.