Planning applications

Our submissions (the 2008 applications)

On 16th January 2008, the City Council withdrew their report on the (2007) applications following a formal complaint by ourselves. As a result, they were not considered by the East Area Committee on 17th January 2008. [Read more detail …]

At this point Tesco - who had been happy for the decisions to be taken on 17th January - well past the normal 8 week deadline
for planning decisions - decided to bypass local democracy by appealing on the grounds of non-determination. This takes the
decisions out of the hands of our local councillors and means they will be decided by the Planning Inspectorate, probably by
Public Inquiry.

At the same time, Tesco lodged 3 new identical applications. These will now be decided by the East Area Committee on 6th March (venue not yet decided). The inference is clear; if approval is given, Tesco will withdraw their appeal.

Any objections submitted to the previous applications will be reported in the case officer’s report regarding the new
applications. There is, therefore, no need for you to resubmit objections, unless you have new reasons to object. We will
officially be resubmitting the Campaign’s objections (see below), possibly with amendments.

The new planning applications are:

Planning application ref. 08/0099/FUL
“Erection of single storey rear extension and installation of plant.”

Planning application ref. 08/0095/ADV
“Installation of one double sided internally illuminated projecting sign and one internally illuminated fascia sign.”

Planning application ref. 08/0098/FUL
“Installation of new shopfront including ATM unit.”

The “Expiry Date” for these is given as 15th February 2008.

Our submissions (the 2007 applications)

IMPORTANT: These submissions were for the 2007 applications. We are working on our submissions for the duplicate 2008 applications, revising the following where necessary.

Our Objection to Planning Application ref 07/0811/FUL is the main objection covering the vast majority of the issues.

Our Objection to Planning Application ref 07/0809/ADV covers the second application.

Our comments on the proposal to deliver to the back of the site went to the Council Officers on 20th December 2007, several weeks before they issued their first (incomplete) report in January 2008.

Our briefing on Vitality and viability issues provides answers to an issue that has attracted a great deal of interest in relation to the Tesco applications.

Tesco has put in 3 planning applications.

Grounds for objection

We have now researched and published grounds for objection to the Planning Application.

Please write an objection AS SOON AS POSSIBLE - deadline is Friday 19th October.

The deadline has been extended by the City Council, seemingly due to technical difficulties with their planning database and the postal strikes. However, please write as soon as possible.

Objection sheet/briefing

We have created an objection sheet/briefing note which may be useful for any objections still being submitted.

The applications

Planning application ref. 07/0811/FUL [PDF scan]
“Single story rear extension and installation of plant”

Planning application ref. 07/0809/ADV [PDF scan]
“Installation of one double sided illuminated fascia sign”

Planning application ref. 07/0810/FUL [PDF scan]
“Installation of a new shop front including an ATM”

Note that there are limited grounds for formal objections to planning applications. For instance, matters relating to competition against existing shops are not a valid ground for objection. Please see the grounds for objection to the Planning Application.

When you write, be clear about which application you are objecting to. We think that the most serious problems are with the planned extension at the back of the site, so we suggest that you write to oppose that application. If you have points you want to make about the other two applications, you will need to write separate letters for each of them.

Deadline for comments

The deadline for comments is Friday 19th October 2007.

The deadline has been extended by the City Council, seemingly due to technical difficulties with their planning database and the postal strikes. However, please write as soon as possible.

Who to write to

Letters of objection should go to:

Mrs Angela Briggs <angela.briggs@cambridge.gov.uk> (01223 457173)
AND Sarah Dyer <sarah.dyer@cambridge.gov.uk> (Angela Briggs is on holiday around this time.)

Angela Briggs / Sarah Dyer,
Environment and Planning,
Cambridge City Council,
The Guildhall,
Cambridge,
CB2 3QJ.

Objections can normally be submitted via the City Council’s planning portal, but we understand there are problems with this at present.

DEADLINE: Friday 19th October 2007.

The deadline has been extended by the City Council, seemingly due to technical difficulties with their planning database and the postal strikes. However, please write as soon as possible.

Remember to take account of any postal strike taking place.