Surrey Today
Friday, May 14, 2010, 08:00
David Buxton (ARA - Ashtead Residents Association - Treasurer), Gillian Russell and Quentin Armitage (Spokespersons for S.A.V.E.) and Paul Le Versha (Chairman of ARA). - Photography by Kenn Jordan
IAN Brown (Not enough supermarkets, Your Views, May 6), is mistaken in relating supermarket floor space to local population. What matters is the effect on local amenities.
When Tesco came to Leatherhead they used an out-of-town site where there was room to provide their own car park. In the Ashtead case, it wants a centre of village site where there is no room for a car park. It therefore proposes to take over the existing well-used public car park. Also, in the Leatherhead case, delivery lorries have no impact on the town, whereas in Ashtead the lorries will cause considerable trouble in the village…
Read the full article...
Epsom Guardian
6:06pm Monday 17th May 2010
By Thais Portilho-Shrimpton
A group of campaigners has raised the funds needed to fight two planning appeals by giant retailer Tesco.
Save Ashtead Village Environment (Save) and Ashtead Residents’ Association (ARA) have raised over £25,000 to employ a specialist planning advisor and a barrister to “represent the village’s interests” at the public inquiry into Tesco’s appeals.
Paul Le Versha, chairman of ARA, said: “I am quite overwhelmed by the speed and generosity of the response we have received. We are enormously grateful for the many generous donations and supportive comments.
“These proposals raise a number of complex issues which deserve to be examined in a considered, balanced and informed way. I am increasingly confident that a very strong case can be made to the planning inspector to uphold the decisions made by Mole Valley District Council to refuse these applications.
“The hard work now begins, as the detailed case is prepared for the hearing. Geoff Douglass is already hard at work on this and he is being supported by a number of volunteers with skills in key areas.”
Tesco has submitted two plans for an Ashtead supermarket to Mole Valley. The first was turned down but Tesco lodged an appeal against the decision. The second application was 24 per cent smaller than the previous one but was also turned down.
Both appeals are set to be considered at the public inquiry…
Read the full article...
The Grocer
08 May 2010
In: Readers’ letters
Joanna Blythman’s exposé of Tesco steamrolling its way in Bristol (Tesco gets its way far too easily, Second Opinion) raises an important issue that goes to the heart of our democracy.
A similar situation has arisen in Ashtead, Surrey, where, following widespread and strong local opposition from residents, Tesco has had two planning applications refused. In a village of 10,000 adults, 6,000 people have signed petitions opposing Tesco’s applications and more than 1,000 have submitted written objections.
Bur Tesco continues to want to go where it is not welcome and now wants to use its financial muscle to appeal against those refusals. Local authorities, of course, are reluctant to incur the heavy legal costs necessary to oppose supermarket applications and the inevitable outcome is that supermarkets can afford to get their way eventually…
Read the full article...
Epsom Guardian
8:30am Sunday 9th May 2010
By Thais Portilho-Shrimpton
The fund launched last week to fight the appeals by Tesco against the refusals of two applications to build a supermarket in Ashtead has raised more than £10,000.
Last week the Epsom Guardian reported how Ashtead Residents’ Association (ARA) and campaigning group Save Ashtead Village Environment (Save) had launched a joint appeal for help with the costs of a planning specialist and a barrister, to represent “residents’ interests”.
Paul Le Versha, chairman of the ARA said: “We have been very encouraged by the level of support we have received for this initiative. The target is a demanding one and the time available is short but we are determined to give it our best shot, as the outcome of the public inquiry will have a major impact upon the character of our village…
READ FULL ARTICLE HERE>
Read the full article...
Surrey Advertiser
May 07, 2010
MORE than £10,000 has been raised for a fund fighting Tesco’s plans for a supermarket in Ashtead – just a week after its launch.
One opponent alone has pledged £1,000 towards the fight as villagers attempt to pay for a planning specialist and barrister to represent their interests at a public inquiry in July.
Two of Tesco’s original applications to build a store on the former Esso site in The Street have been rejected by Mole Valley District Council (MVDC).
Tesco has appealed against the decisions on both applications, the first of which was for a store with a 1,115sq-m sales area…
Read the full article...
BBC NEWS
09:56 GMT, Sunday, 2 May 2010 10:56 UK
Residents are hoping to raise £25,000 to fight plans to build a Tesco supermarket in a Surrey village.
David Buxton (ARA - Ashtead Residents Association - Treasurer), Gillian Russell and Quentin Armitage (Spokespersons for S.A.V.E.) and Paul le Versha (Chairman of ARA)
The Save Ashtead Village Environment campaign will use the funds to pay for a planning expert and a solicitor.
Mole Valley District Council narrowly turned down Tesco’s proposal in February to build the store in Ashtead.
Tesco wants to build on the site of a former petrol station in The Street and has lodged an appeal with the planning inspectorate…
READ FULL ARTICLE HERE>
Read the full article...
