CEN article: Reprieve for Tesco Mill Road campaigners
CAMPAIGNERS against plans for a Tesco store in Cambridge’s Mill Road have been given a last-minute stay of execution.
Planning chiefs at Cambridge City Council have taken the scheme off the table for Thursday night’s east area committee after deciding the report did not go into the issues in enough detail.
The decision has only just been made – taking campaigners and the supermarket giant by surprise.
Planning officers had recommended the plans for approval despite a massive public backlash against the idea.
More than 5,000 people have signed a petition against the plans, and more than 1,100 have written letters of objection.
Campaigners were expected to turn out in force to protest at Thursday’s council meeting which had been booked into a larger venue – St Philip’s Church in Mill Road – to make room for the large numbers of people expected.
But now the council has decided the planning reports were “not comprehensive” enough and said the applications will be debated another day.
The No Mill Road Tesco campaign submitted a complaint to the council saying the report was “flawed” .
A spokesman for the campaign said: “We are glad that the council have taken our concerns seriously with regard to the incomplete planners’ report.”
