BREAKING NEWS!
Tesco have just announced that they will be submitting a new Planning Application – their 3rd proposal – early in 2012.
The good news is that they have NOT found the extra 74 parking spaces needed to build their 2nd proposed store (750 square metres retail space ) passed at the Public Inquiry in 2010 subject to this parking condition. This proves that SAVE (Save Ashtead’s Village Environment) and the ARA (Ashtead Residents’ Association) were right to oppose it on the grounds that it was still too large for the village.
We believe it is great news that Tesco has finally been forced to listen to many of our main concerns given that they intend to build. Their 3rd proposal is for a TESCO METRO, a style of store that lies someway between a Tesco Express and their larger stores.
Tesco have indicated that their proposal would:
- Leave the Ashtead Peace Memorial Hall Car Park exactly as it is, with control maintained by Mole Valley District Council. This represents a MAJOR VICTORY for the village following the SAVE/ARA Car Parking Campaign earlier this year!
- Only a front entrance onto The Street. There would no longer be a back entrance directly onto the Car Park, which would have drawn shoppers away from the other village shops. SAVE’s concern has always been to support our local traders and try to increase footfall into the village. Another MAJOR VICTORY!
- A basket only store. No large, noisy trolleys outside the store, but small ones within it. Another MAJOR VICTORY!
However it is disappointing that Tesco are only reducing the overall size of the store by less than 10% of the size of proposal number 2. It will be approx. 690 sqm. of retail space (to be confirmed) which is two and three quarters the size of Tesco Express at Craddocks. There will still be 9 flats built above it, although their parking spaces will be within the Tesco site. Tesco argue that because it is a basket only store, the demand for parking will be considerably reduced compared to their 2nd proposal.
SAVE will be meeting with Tesco in January to see and discuss their plans in detail.
We want there to be full, effective Public Consultation BEFORE Tesco submit this application. There are several important issues to be covered including:
- Ensuring that the store meets Sustainability Standards. (Tesco were granted an exemption from these for their previous applications – we need to ensure that this does not happen again).
- Ensuring there are acceptable plans for lorry size, frequency and access. Lorries will present a significant problem for neighbouring properties and the traffic flow through Ashtead.
- Ensuring that a basket store does result in reduced traffic by exploring traffic plans.
- Ensuring that any proposal MUST have limits set on future expansion. We must make sure that Tesco cannot break any conditions on which any plans are accepted.
Remember you can contact us here or post your views below.
This news has been announced in the Leatherhead Advertiser.
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{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
This proposal is still too large for the village and there is still no parking for customers or staff. Are those of us who live near the village going to see our quiet roads now lined with cars? In my view these proposals cannot be considered unless parking is provided by Tesco.
We are with Linda Butler on this. The situation remains exactly the same as before regarding opening hours, delivery lorry obstructions, greater traffic levels, less parking in the street etc. etc. The fact that the store is only 10% smaller makes absolutely no difference to the inconvenience that this Tesco store will impose on users of The Street, not to mention the local residents. The fact that it is still almost three times the size of that in Craddocks Avenue will have exactly the same detrimental effects as before.
Tesco have arrogantly (and continually) ignored the concerns of local residents and their democratically elected representatives.
There is no need for a Tesco store in the village. Note how they’ve been forced to reduce their proposal to basket-only. This can surely not be economic: yet will Tesco give in? No chance.
Last night Friday 5th December at about 8.30 I noticed a line of trolleys parked out side Tesco’s in Cradock’s Avenue. Are they allowed to put trolleys outside? and if not what is to stop a new store exploiting the pavement once it is built?
I was unable to get the link below to work
Regards
Chris Ranger
I agree that this is being slipped in at a time when it is known that people’s awareness can be at a very low ebb; post Christmas, winter blues, getting kids back to school, etc.
Still very concerned that for a store of the size Tesco intend, the delivery trucks will be very detrimental to The Street/Woodfield Lane in both practical and aesthetic terms.
With no rear entrance to the car park, the parking spaces along the roadside will be in demand with Tesco shoppers. Given the proposed size of site, browsing will undoubtedly occur, meaning roadside parking will be denied to people wishing to make a quick visit to other shops and businesses on The Street.
This has all been said before – it is so frustrating that Tesco do not really listen to Ashtead people’s views.
With further apologies for the ‘scrambling’ of the table regarding the retail sales areas of the stores in Ashtead in comparison to the size of the Tesco stores in my original comment, it may be easier to produce the figures as follows. hese are the critical numbers taken from the table which illustrate the position.
The sizes in square metres of the various existing convenience (ie food) stores in Ashtead are:
Alldays 153sqm, other independent stores in The Street 397sqm, independent stores at Craddocks Parade 65sqm, Tesco Express at Craddocks Parade 250sqm, making an existing total of 865sqm of convenience retail space in Ashtead. The proposed Tesco store will be 690sqm, making a then total of 1555sqm in Ashtead. The combined total of the two Tesco stores will then be 940sqm. The total of all non-Tesco convenience stores in Ashtead will then be 615sqm.
Apologies, the table in my comment above has been scrambled in transition. Not sure if I can re-submit in a format that this comment section will accept. However, the conclusions remain unchanged. Thanks.
It is disappointing, but not at all surprising, that Tesco is to lodge yet another planning application so out of touch with the wishes of Ashtead’s residents. Whilst there are some changes to previous proposals (which have been forced on Tesco as the result of the tremendous efforts of many people, rather than through Tesco listening to residents), there are crucial factors which remain unchanged. Much work therefore remains to be done if Ashtead residents are to bring about an appropriate and acceptable outcome.
There can be no doubting the wishes of Ashtead residents which have come through loud and clear in this protracted Tesco process, most recently from the results of the SAVE/ARA survey of approximately one year ago. In answering that survey, 78% of residents indicated their wish that any new store on the Tesco site “should be restricted to a convenience store ie one intended to meet ‘top-up’ needs”. In the context of the Tesco proposals and the ongoing debate which was taking place, it would have been readily apparent to the residents who responded to the survey (and also to the SAVE/ARA authors of the survey) that the reference to “convenience store” was clearly intended as a reference to a store similar in size to the Tesco store at Craddocks Parade. It certainly was not a reference to a store nearly three times that size.
The lack of trolleys does not make the store a convenience store and, in any event, what is to stop Tesco introducing trolleys at some future point?
Whilst Tesco will no doubt claim otherwise, in comparison to their stores elsewhere it is indisputably the case that, in its context in Ashtead (the only context of relevance), a new store almost three times the size of the Tesco at Craddocks Parade will be a large supermarket that will dominate convenience retailing in Ashtead to the detriment of competitors and the community.
Residents have consistently made it very clear that they value highly the existing independent convenience stores in Ashtead as those stores not only provide choice but are also crucial in preserving the village atmosphere which Ashtead, almost uniquely, retains.
If anyone doubts that such a large store will inevitably cause major problems for, and most likely bring about the closure of, most if not all of the independent convenience shops in Ashtead (particularly in The Street), the following (which incorporates figures taken from documents available on the MVDC website relating to Tesco’s previous applications) should put the issue into perspective.
The table below shows the retail sales area in square metres of the convenience (ie food) stores in Ashtead, including the Tesco store now proposed.
Total The Street The Tesco
Stores
Alldays – The Street 153 153
Other Shops – The Street 397 397
Other Shops – Craddocks Pde 65
Tesco Express – Craddocks Pde 250 250
Proposed Tesco Store 690 690 690
__________________________________
TOTALS 1,555 1,240 940
The proposed Tesco store alone will represent:-
(i) 44% of the total convenience retail sales area in Ashtead.
(ii) 55% of the convenience retail sales area in The Street (ie more than all other convenience retailers combined).
Combined, the two Tesco stores will represent 60% of the total convenience retail sales area in Ashtead (ie 1½ times the size of all other convenience retailers combined).
It is not difficult to conclude that the proposed store is intended to bring about the closure of the independent convenience stores in Ashtead. This issue was clearly not given appropriate consideration by MVDC planning officers in Tesco’s previous proposals. In fact, it was considered acceptable by MVDC planning officers that existing convenience stores could close as they would likely be replaced by shops selling non-convenience goods. That such a complete change in the character of Ashtead is contrary to the wishes of the overwhelming majority of Ashtead residents was not considered important.
The Ashtead community consists of more than shoppers. The concerns of Ashtead residents surrounding any new store on the Tesco site therefore go beyond the adverse impact on the existing independent convenience stores (as bad as this will be) and look to wider community issues such as the impact on the APMH, traffic and parking impacts, the impact of store delivery and service vehicles and the overall impact on properties adjacent to the Tesco site.
There is a strong feeling among Ashtead residents that these issues were also not given appropriate consideration by MVDC planning officers in Tesco’s previous proposals. For example, it was only following the efforts of Ashtead residents in bringing important issues to his attention that the Planning Inspector recognised the parking problem and imposed the long-term parking condition. The attitude of MVDC planning officers was to let the then proposed development go ahead and deal with any problems as and when they arose, although they put forward no possible solutions.
It is therefore critical that all relevant issues in Tesco’s proposed application are this time properly and robustly scrutinised by MVDC planning officers. It is also critical that appropriate measures are put in place to ensure that no future changes can be made to whatever proposal is eventually approved.
Ashtead residents have already made their views clear to Councillor James Friend (the Leader of MVDC) who has publicly stated that he is committed to MVDC’s decisions and policies supporting the expressed views of residents. On this basis there should be no support from MVDC for the Tesco store now proposed.
However, it continues to be imperative that Ashtead residents and traders individually and through representatives such as the ARA and SAVE keep up the pressure on their local councillors on the Tesco issue, that they monitor the local press and the SAVE and ARA websites for ongoing developments and, most importantly, make their views known in the appropriate manner and at the appropriate times.
Ashtead residents will only get the desired outcome if they maintain their past level of community involvement on this matter.
Much of what Tesco look to be proposing seems a sensible compromise and meet many of the original objections. However we all need to see the full proposal before getting too excited and believing that the view of residents has won them over. Remember Tesco are profit driven and not philanthropists.
What will be the size of the “back office” section? Will Tesco be able to convert this at a later date to enlarge the shop and slip in a rear entrance? Can we insist upon a Planning Condition to prevent this ‘back-door’ change? Where will the delivery lorries enter and leave the site? The original proposal to leave between the new store and the Curry House was crazy and dangerous despite what the so-called traffic experts said. Equally the junction of Woodfield Lane/A24 is a continuing headache. Will the store exacerbate this situation?
Nevertheless, if all looks good and no major objections are raised, we need to have this eyesore of a site filled, and perhaps the store will attract more shoppers to the other stores in The Street.
Remain very alert.
Tesco does not like to be thwarted, and will do anything legal to get its own way.
Consultation as wide as possible on your excellent network should make sure we are all aware of any proposal.
We’ve done very well so far. Carry on the good work.
Worker parking spaces will need to be planned to be on the Tesco land as well as parking spaces for the flats.
Traffic flow in/out from A24 to Woodfield Lane still needs to be made safer.
I am sure you will get donations if needed.
Thank you for alerting us to something that appears to be being slipped out at a busy time