CEN article: Shock in store over Tesco bid
This is the version of the article printed in the Cambridge Evening News on 17th January 2008, and is similar but more extensive than the online-only version published the night before (on the 16th January).
by Rachel Extance, Local Government Correspondent
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 to postpone came shortly before 5pm last night, taking campaigners and Tesco by surprise.
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 on Tuesday to the council saying the report on the extension was “substantially incomplete”.
A spokesman for the campaign said: “We are glad that the council have taken our concerns seriously with regard to the incomplete planners’ report and we are confident that when it does come before the councillors, they will acknowledge the strength of public opinion and the strong planning grounds for refusing the applications. We are still confident the applications will be turned down.”
Coun Ben Bradnack, who represents Petersfield, had written to say that detailed objections did not “benefit from detailed answers within the body of the report” and raised issues of refuse arrangements, road safety and car and Cycle parking.
Peter Carter, principal development control manager for the city council, said: “We just don’t think the report is comprehensive enough.
There are a whole series of issues involved. We looked at it earlier in he week and were prepared to run with it, we’ve looked at it again and decided we would prefer not to run with it.”
He said officers would discuss with committee chairman Coun John Durrant when the issue would next be approached.
Michael Kissman, corporate affairs manager for Tesco, said: “We are surprised and will look at the reasons. We do think we’ve still got a strong application in for the signage, cash machine and storage extension.”
Cambridge Evening News, 17th January 2008, printed edition
