Council gives in to Tesco over Shrewsbury store application
Friday 22nd October 2010, 12:25PM BST.
Controversial plans by supermarket giant Tesco to increase the amount of space it uses for non-grocery goods at its Shrewsbury “Extra” store were today approved despite concerns from other traders.
Tesco had been in breach of planning regulations imposed by the Secretary of State on how many non-food items it could sell at the Battlefield store for three years.
But today its retrospective plans were approved, following a close vote at the end of a 90-minute meeting.
Councillors on Shropshire Council’s Strategic Planning Committee were completely split on the decision with an equal number of votes for and against, but its chairman John Everall had the casting vote, meaning they were approved.
The Tesco store was built three years ago with a sales area of 4,789 sqm instead of the 4,520 sqm allowed, an increase of six per cent.
In addition, the store wanted to increase the amount of space devoted to comparison goods – goods sold in the town centre – by 43 per cent making it 2,071 sqm compared with the 1,597 sqm permitted.
The firm sought retrospective planning permission and, despite councillors’ refusal last month, it was taken to the strategic planning committee which discussed the plans at Shirehall.
At the meeting John Hall, chairman of Shop in the Loop which represents about 700 shops in Shrewsbury town centre, spoke against the plans claiming Tesco’s breach had a negative impact on traders.
He said: “Tesco ignored conditions, and built and fitted out the store they had wanted in the first place.”
Helen Ball, clerk of Shrewsbury Town Council, spoke against the proposals. She said: “14.3 per cent of all shops in the town centre are empty. 12.3 per cent is the national average.”
But Huw Jones, speaking on behalf of Tesco’s planning consultants DPP, said: “The extra space was an oversight when building the store and that’s something we can’t justify.”
Councillor Stuart West said: “The damage has already been done and I feel we have to support the officers’ recommendations.”
By Emma Kasprzak
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Fantastic decision by our council! They’ve given Tesco the greenlight to break legal regulations and get away with it. I hope that one day this company will be brought to its knees for its operations which, evident from this decision, are completley illegal. It’s one rule for Tesco and another for all other business in the UK.
Well done :-p!
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I look forward to the council being as lenient with smaller shopkeepers and other independent businesses in the town (and county) when they are found to be breaking some minor by-law or planning condition.
Somehow I shan’t hold my breath; money REALLY talks, does it? Anyway, that’s more profits for Tesco to invest in various (entirely legal, of course) tax avoidance schemes….
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Tesco demonstrate, once again, that they can flout the rules and ride roughshod over communities with no fear of reprisals, simply because they can afford to extend the court process beyond the point that a cash-strapped council can afford to fight.
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The tail wags the dog.
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This is just the follow on from many decisions made by the council to kill off the town centre.
Increasing parking charges was the last step in this very undesirable direction.
Then they have the gall to say that Shrewsbury town isn’t reaching it’s full potential.
Hypocritical to say the least.
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Or they probably realised that Tesco would appeal and probably win their case, so gave approval rather than feed lawyers with council tax payers money, especially as the council is facing a significant loss of income thanks to the cuts from the ConDem’s.
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How many jobs have Tesco created?
How much have they spent on road infrastructure?
How much do they contribute to community projects?
Why do so many people shop at Tesco?
Get off your high horses and join the real world!
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There’s a certain amount of truth to this of course….but it’s well known that Tesco *don’t* do this for the good of their customers. They do it for Tesco – not surprisingly. Incidentally, you forgot to mention their numerous – and documented – methods of tax avoidance, as well as the hundreds of businesses which supply Tesco who are constantly being squeezed over price (or Tesco “will go elsewhere”) – all for the good of the consumer rather than the supermarket (of course… ;-)
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I think you will find that the council are no angels on this development. Maybe a local councillor should step up and explain why Matalan had a change of use on their building in Harlescott and yet a local business was turned down…. As the song goes Money Money Money in a rich man’s world……
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“How many jobs have Tesco created?”
A large number of low-paid, low-skilled jobs, at the expense of a significant number of jobs lost through the closure of established local businesses. It’s been estimated that £1 spent with a local business is worth £5 to the local economy, because the money stays in circulation locally. £1 spent at Tesco is removed from the local economy straight away.
“How much have they spent on road infrastructure?”
Not a penny more than is absolutely necessary to improve the flow of traffic to their premises or to help grease the palms of the local decision influencers.
“How much do they contribute to community projects?”
See above re. palm greasing.
“Why do so many people shop at Tesco?”
In some cases, limited choice (which is what Tesco want). In other cases, ignorance or indifference.
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Actually the jobs are well-paying and take a lot of hard training. :)
Many people I know have actually created great careers at Tesco.
Please don’t assume that us tesco employees are all underpaid and miserable! We’re really quite happy :D
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You forgot to ask how many people’s pensions are partly invested in Tesco, a company that has declared growing dividends for many years…
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I just don’t know why Tesco and all the other big supermarkets bother putting in planning application, they flout them and have the financial clout to fight councils when they object
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it is a misnomer to suggest Tesco create jobs.
In the short term jobs are created. But once a store is up and running it drives other smaller shops out of business, or reduces the amount of custom they receive, such shops then reduce their employee head count.
The net result is not Job creation, but job displacement from smaller retailers to the larger.
I can understand in the current climate the local authority cannot afford the cost of a legal action against Tesco.
However, everyone currently has a choice as to where to shop. I stopped using Tesco when they adopted the tactics of the bully. Do I miss it? No.
Quality available from small locally run shops is far superior to Tesco. It does not necessarily cost more (although I accept for the battery farm factory produced fat laden food within Tesco one when need to travel a long way to get cheaper).
Supporting local businesses, supports local producers, local livelihoods, and communities.
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Lots of small shops in the area are still trading so no jobs lost there (maybe a few but no where near the number of jobs created)
Along with B&Q across the road they are great assets to the town.
As I am sure the number of shoppers underlines.
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Just because a number of people visit a location it does not make it an asset to a town, particularly if the net flow of income is out of town.
The economics is fairly straightforward.
10 families spend £100 per week in local shops providing employment etc to owners and staff. Produce comes from surrounding area, the total spend is distributed wide across the community.
Tesco opens, they spend the same amount in Tesco. First the local shops loose that income, as do staff and local producers. Secondly the Tesco spend is distributed outside the local area (very little local produce) cots of delivery from large warehouses. Flights in of out of season crops etc.
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If 10 families spent £100 in local shops then they would leave with considerably less shopping than if they spent £100 in Tesco..
Times are hard and people want cheaper goods..
By the way, my local shop owner owns a Ferrari
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Tesco get away with it all of the time, the council have no balls to deal with it.or else its tesco money that speaks.
will be moving my custom elsewhere in the future, that the only way to deal with it. vote with your feet.
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i hope next time some poor OAP is being harranged by the council for putting a satelitte dish in the wrong place or a cramped family are declined an extension they will remember this
one rule for the rich another for the rest of us, this is a disgrace, i spit on democracy, its the worst system of governance at all, the whole UK legal, planning and democratic system is a disgrace to the men and women who died in the war, i spit on shropshire council and the corrupt planning regime
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Well, there’s no question Shropshire Council are in a bind; they no doubt had to weigh up what the benefits of bringing a case against Tesco against what would undoubtedly be a very expensive case. I don’t really think that amounts to a corrupt system!
With finances being what they are, I can’t say I really blame the council for not following through, although I think Central Government should be looking far more closely at the activities of the large chains. Tesco are embroiled in a number of challenges around the country, and they seem to be gambling (correctly, it would appear) that local authorities won’t have the money to take them on all the way. And the council can’t win can they – if they *had* spent all this money, people would say “Wow, haven’t you got better things to spend the money on now??!!!”.
And they’d probably be right.
But would individuals or small businesses get this treatment? No, you can bet your life Shropshire Council would be bullying them to death over failure to follow planning conditions……And that is what is wrong. This sends out the wrong message.
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TOTALY WELL SAID ABOUT THE EXTENSIONS!! THINK YOU GO A BIT FAR SPITTING EVERY WHERE THOUGH!!!! TRY VOTING INSTEAD PERHAPS…
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As was touched on by another poster, i reckon you will find it will be due to legal costs that the council finally gave in. Every time the council rejected planning permission, Tesco appealed. More and more tax payers money being spent on lawyers and Tesco know this. The council have a duty of care to the town and just cannot keep paying lawyers to fight a company who has the financial clout to bankrupt the council. I am sure if the council had the financial clout that Tesco has, they would have again rejected planning permission. This i feel is where changes in the law need to take place, to stop companies like Tesco dragging out cases which ultimatly causes the other party to quit due to lack of funds.
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The problem is the planning process – if you have deep pockets you will always win under the present system – but of course laws are drawn up by those with deep pockets.
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wimps
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The Shrewsbury Tesco can do what it likes because they have a mandate from the 10′s of thousands of shoppers who use them.
The attitude of Tesco and the Council might change if the public boycott the store and organise a proper protest.
This isn’t going to happen and Tesco know it.
I don’t use Tesco, but I doubt that bothers them.
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Tesco had broken the law and its OK by the council – what a joke
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they cannot say they are on the side of local businesses now then can they
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Of every £8 spent, £1 of it is spent at Tesco. You can’t compete with that unless you offer an alternative, quirky product.
The High Street as we know it has been declining for many years, so to try and blame a superstore brand is a poor excuse.
It is all about where the consumer wants to sepnd their money and you can’t force them to spend in the High Street if the supply is costly.
So, no matter how much you all moan about Tesco, it won’t change a thing or persuade others where to spend their money.
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It is probably because Tescos have not actually broken the law that the council have had to be pragmatic about their decision.
Perhaps you may remember that we the taxpayers lost a considerable sum of money fighting the unitary council.
I’d have thought that the ease of internet shopping has had more influence on decreasing town centre shopping so maybe STCRA will start a campaign against that!
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Try reading the book “The Wal-Mart Effect” – chronicles the effect Wal-Mart has on the global and local economy’s, infrastructure and environment – both deliberately and the knock-on effects of its decisions.
Interesting and informative read.
Tesco’s are following their lead – they have to or they’ll disappear. Like it or not, they are here to stay.
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Or read “Tescopoly”. Or both!
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They have no ‘mandate’ to operate outside of the law, they only have licence to operate a lawfully run business.
Where is the local MP on this?
All you ‘apologists’ may be happy to see it happen – just because it suits you, doesn’t effect you or your not bothered, what if it didn’t suit you? What about you understanding that it is a concern of many – especially when those who we vote in to make decisions run away from them in the face of bullies? Appeasment.. ?
Read the book mentioned above.
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