the No Mill Road Tesco Campaign

LOUD cheers greeted a decision by councillors to reject a key planning application by Tesco for a proposed store on Cambridge’s Mill Road.

A packed St Philip’s Church heard impassioned pleas by the No Mill Road Tesco campaign when the East Area Committee met last night to consider the application for the site.

It puts the future of the controversial proposed store, on the site of the old Wilco store, in some doubt.

Tesco had previously gained permission for signs and a cash machine.

Council planning officers had recommended the approval of planning permission for three air conditioning units and a refrigeration unit – but the councillors had other ideas.

Only two councillors actually voted against the application – three were absent, three decided not to take part in the decision-making and four abstained in the crucial vote.

The votes of Cllr Catherine Smart, Lib Dem, and the Green Party’s Cllr Margaret Wright were decisive in giving opponents of Tesco’s plans the outcome they were craving.

Sonia Cooter, the No Mill Road Tesco campaign co-ordinator, addressed the meeting at length and outlined their opposition.

She said she spoke for more than 5,000 who signed a petition and thousands of others who had opposed various applications by Tesco for almost a year.

She said: “Mill Road is recognised as a vibrant, diverse space but it is also a fragile space.”

Central to the group’s case were the inadequacies in an acoustic report submitted by Tesco to assess the noise impact.

She said: “Tesco’s acoustic assessment was done in the wrong place. Figures that were previously estimates later became measurements.”

Addressing the councillors, she concluded: “For 10 months people have been telling Tesco a store is not wanted or needed.

“On behalf of thousands of people I ask you to reject this application.”

Thunderous applause lasting a minute filled the hall before Cambridge Friends of the Earth added their voice of objection.

Nobody from Tesco spoke on the application.

Committee members then considered the application and sought advice from officers on issues ranging from noise levels to the imposition of conditions on the hours delivery vehicles could operate to service the store.

And after a series of questions and debates lasting more than an hour, the application was put to the crucial vote – and the result was greeted with rapturous applause.

Cllr Wright and Cllr Smart’s material grounds for rejecting the application referred to noise pollution and amenity, sustainable development and traffic movements.

After the meeting, Sonia Cooter said: “We are relieved that councillors have rejected this latest application.”

Cambridge Evening News, 1st August 2008

The future of Cambridge’s controversial Mill Road Tesco store has been thrown into doubt.

In a night of high drama Cambridge city councillors voted against an application for air conditioning and a refrigeration unit at the site.

Campaigners, who believe Tesco should stay clear of Mill Road because of its reputation for independent traders, were “relieved”.

But Tesco bosses have yet to respond to the latest twist in the saga.

For the full story, see Friday’s News.

Cambridge Evening News, 31st July 2008

CAMPAIGNERS against plans by Tesco to open up in Cambridge’s Mill Road are urging councillors to refuse the supermarket giant’s latest application tonight.

The company’s plans for air conditioning and a refrigeration unit are the final hurdle in its battle to open an Express store on the street, famed for its mix of independent retailers.

A campaign against the supermarket’s venture has been running since last September and hundreds of objection letters have been sent to Cambridge City Council.

But planning officers have recommended the scheme be approved and councillors will make the final decision tonight.

The No Mill Road Tesco campaign is urging members of the East Area Committee to vote against the recommendation.

Ruth Deyermond, planning coordinator for the No Mill Road Tesco campaign, said: “There is simply no sound basis for approval of this application.

“If you think that issues such as road safety, traffic congestion, and the impact on local residents are relevant, which the planning guidance says they are, then the application needs to be refused.

“But even if you agreed with the planning officer that only the direct impacts of the air conditioning and refrigeration units are relevant then the application would still have to be refused on planning grounds.

“Tesco’s acoustic report is the only evidence on which the planners are asking the councillors to judge the application, and it simply doesn’t stand up to even the most basic scrutiny.”

Sonia Cooter, campaign coordinator, added: “We were expecting the council’s planning department to recommend approval, but the poor quality of the report has surprised us.

“We are urging everyone in the Mill Road area to come along to the East Area Committee meeting on Thursday, 31 July at 7.30pm in St Philip’s Church, Mill Road, and let our councillors know – this is not acceptable.”

Speaking when the approval advice was announced, Tesco’s Michael Kissman said: “We are pleased with the recommendation. If the plans are approved we have got a team in place and can look at completing the work which needs to be done in the following weeks and months.”

Cambridge Evening News, 31st July 2008

Following a recent article in the CEN, our Planning Co-ordinator has responded as follows:

If, by this, you mean that I find it unfortunate that the planners have failed even to note that the grounds for approval are completely unsound, then yes, I’m disappointed. If you mean I think it’s surprising that the planners are relying entirely on an acoustic report paid for by Tesco – a report which a professional in the field has told the planners is unreliable – then yes, I’m disappointed. If you mean I think it’s very regrettable that the council website wrongly told local people trying to object on line that the deadline for for objections had passed when it hadn’t, then yes, I’m disappointed.

It’s also disappointing that Tesco are wasting local taxpayers’ money with this application when they clearly don’t intend to open a store with it. It’s disappointing that Tesco care so little about this application that they couldn’t even be bothered to submit all the correct documents (such as an accurate site plan) when they applied. It’s disappointing that a company that claims to listen to local communities is happy to ignore thousands of local people on issues as important as road safety and traffic congestion.

But am I disappointed in the sense in which you claimed? No. Tesco have lost every battle so far and I do not expect their losing streak to end with this slipshod application which has all the same problems as the other, failed applications before it.

Ruth Deyermond
Planning Co-ordinator
No Mill Road Tesco Campaign

Here is the original article:

Tesco poised to win Mill Road battle

TESCO is set to win its battle for Mill Road as its plans for air conditioning and a refrigeration unit are recommended for approval.

The planning application is the final hurdle for the company which first submitted plans for the former Wilco store in the popular Cambridge street last September.

It seeks permission to install three air conditioning units at the back of the shop and erect a refrigeration compound.

Tesco says the planning permission it already has for signs and a cash machine means it can open a store in Mill Road.

If the current application is granted by councillors on Thursday,July 31, work will start as soon as possible.

The site is currently occupied by squatters who have set up the Mill Road Social Centre but the supermarket giant has already secured a possession order which will force them to move before work starts.

Hundreds of objections to the plans have been received by Cambridge City Council but case officer Angela Briggs said the issue was not whether Tesco should open up on the street, but whether the application was in line with the rules.

In a report to councillors, Mrs Briggs wrote: “Despite being very aware of local concerns about the perceived implications of this development and the genuine concerns raised, I do not consider there to be good, clear cut and sound reasons for refusing the application for the condenser and the air conditioning plant and approval is therefore recommended.”

The No Mill Road Tesco campaign said it was disputing the acoustic report submitted with the application and also claimed the inclusion of a condition on delivery times conflicted with the report’s assertion that debates over car parking and deliveries were not relevant.

Ruth Deyermond, from the campaign, said: “We are obviously disappointed that they have recommended approval again.”

Michael Kissman, speaking on behalf of Tesco, said: “We are pleased with the recommendation and will now wait for the final decision.

“If the plans are approved we have got a team in place and can look at completing the work which needs to be done in the following weeks and months.”

Cambridge City Council’s east area committee will consider the application when it meets at St Philip’s Church, Mill Road on July 31 at 7.30pm.

BATTLE plans to stop Tesco opening in Mill Road are being drawn up by protesters.

The No Mill Road Tesco Campaign is meeting next week to thrash out its next move.

They are determined to stave off the march of the supermarket giant into the street famed for its unique independent shops.

The move comes after Tesco bosses vowed to start work on the controversial shop in July, as the News reported.

They decided to go ahead with the store despite being refused planning permission for an extension.

That proposal was kicked out by councillors in March after more than 1,000 letters of objection and street protests.

Now Tesco chiefs have one more bridge to cross – planning permission for an air conditioning and refrigeration plant.

But the next meeting of council planners will be on July 31, which protesters say may scupper Tesco from starting work as planned.

Campaigners believe the bid will be blocked because Tesco’s announcement that it will start work in the store before the application is heard will “alienate” councillors.

And they have vowed to carry on fighting the supermarket giant, which already has more than 50 per cent of the grocery trade in the city.

Campaign spokeswoman Ruth Deyermond said: “Obviously they could, in theory, start work on the site before the council vote, but I can’t think of a quicker way to alienate the councillors than Tesco giving the impression that they expect any application they make to be simply nodded through.”

In the last six months, Tesco planning applications for stores in Poynton, Cheshire, Stourbridge, Inverness, Sheringham, Norfolk, Bradford and Mill Road in Cambridge, have been rejected, giving hope to campaigners.

A Tesco spokesman said: “The planning application will go through the normal democratic process, and we will await the outcome.”

INDEPENDENT stores like those on Mill Road, Cambridge could be protected from the arrival of big-name stores if planning rules are tightened.

The Government has announced plans to change the rules to protect small shops and curb “clone-town Britain”.

A tougher “impact test” is being introduced to give councils a better tool to prevent big developments that put small shops and town centres at risk.

It could help residents fight off unpopular commercial developments like Tesco’s plans to open up on Mill Road in Cambridge which was met with a storm of protest. However Cllr Ian Nimmo-Smith, leader of Cambridge City Council, who reported the supermarket’s plans to the Office of Fair Trading, demanding an investigation, said it was too early to tell whether the changes proposed would help to preserve the character of Cambridge.

He said: “We will welcome planning policies which give local people an opportunity to express their preference for individuality and character in their shopping areas and we will look with interest to see whether the Government brings forward anything which helps to achieve this.

“Clearly the issues raised during the Tesco debate are ones which local people felt their preferences were not being adequately expressed through the planning system.”

The proposed changes which would affect guidance known as Planning Policy Statement 6: Planning for town centres were announced by Hazel Blears, Communities and Local Government Secretary.

She said: “Our priority is to ensure we do not see more and more stretches of the nation’s high streets turned into bland ‘every towns’ where every high street has the same shops, the same look, and the same sterile feel.
“We need more individuality, more small scale independent shops, and a new spirit of independent enterprise on our high streets.

“That’s why we plan to give councils more scope to curb ‘clone-town Britain’ and to block large out-of-town developments that can rip the heart out of town centres and threaten the survival of many high streets and smaller shops.”

AN MP has accused Tesco of “military efficiency” in its efforts to open up in Mill Road, Cambridge.

Barry Sheerman, MP for Huddersfield, highlighted the case as he called for tighter controls on Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons.

He told business minister Pat McFadden: “When one of those supermarkets decides that it is going to be the dominant retail player in one’s area, it moves in a way that would bring credit to any military operation anywhere in the world.

“Supermarkets are a particularly sensitive issue because of their impact on the versatility, sustainability and diversity of our towns and cities. We can see that shrinking all the time with international global brands replacing local businesses.

“It happened in Cambridge. I believe that the local authority has given planning permission to Tesco in a beautiful part of Cambridge. I know that many people campaigned against it.”

Cambridge Evening News, 7th June 2008

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. Here are a selection.

• Voting is duty (8th August 2008)
• Tesco dearer (27th May 2008)
• So entertaining (19th May 2008)

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

Small traders are devastated after Tesco vowed to open a store in Mill Road.

The supermarket giant dealt the blow when it made the shock announcement on Friday.

Protest to save Mill Road from a Tesco store

Traders at some of the 13 grocery stores in the street say they now face a bleak future.

But Tesco chiefs have accused traders and campaigners of being “alarmist” and say the store is too small to have a massive impact on other stores.

Tesco will start work on transforming the former Wilco site in July – but face a summer of discontent from campaigners.

The controversial move comes despite massive protests, including a petition signed by more than 5,000 people, a 600-strong street march and more than 1,000 letters of objection.

The No Mill Road Tesco campaign claimed a victory in March when planners threw out a bid by Tesco for an extension to the store.

But it will now use the existing building and only needs planning permission for an air conditioning and freezer plant.

Small traders have been rocked by the news and fear for their livelihoods.

Mrs Magsooda Malik, who owns Hilary’s Greengrocers, said the move will devastate small businesses on the street famed for its unique shops.

She said: “It’s going to close a lot of shops. Everyone will be effected – the Londis, the Co-op and all the other stores. It is devastating for small shops.

“Tesco says they are going to create 20 jobs, but what about all the people who work in the shops that will close? We will keep fighting this to save our street.”

Mrs Vara, who owns Balv’s grocers and Balv’s hair salon, fears that her shops will go under.

She said: “We are very upset. It is going to have a bad effect on all of the shops in Mill Road. I have two shops, and if I have to close one down it will be the end for us here.

“We have been trading here for more than 20 years – longer than most of the shops.

“If we lose our business we wouldn’t know what to do. All we know is working here.

“Tesco say that them opening here won’t affect ethnic shops but we also rely on people buying other goods.

“We rely on trade from students and I think a lot of them will go to Tesco thinking it will be cheaper. The future does not look good.”

A Tesco spokesperson said: “Comments that many local shops will close if Tesco opens are unnecessarily alarmist and don’t contribute to a sensible debate on an issue which is of interest to local people.

“Tesco are proposing a small convenience store, less than half the size of the local Co-op. To suggest that a store of this size could lead to closure of the Co-op and a number of other shops is clearly untrue.

“There simply wouldn’t be enough stock on the shelves and enough space in the Tesco Express to accommodate that many customers.”

Cambridge Evening News, 12th May 2008

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