Tesco’s plans ‘would devastate Whitchurch’
Thursday 5th May 2011, 3:41PM BST.
A new out-of-town Tesco store in Whitchurch would have a “devastating effect” on the town centre, a meeting of the town’s councillors has heard.
The supermarket giant’s plans for Edgeley Park suffered a setback last night as town councillors spoke out about the impact they fear development could have on the town centre.
Councillor Philip Walker said: “There is no way they will move out of town without mucking up the town.
“There is much evidence to show that allowing large supermarkets to be built out of town in small towns has had a devastating effect on the towns.”
Other members raised fears about noise and light pollution plus drainage.
About 20 members of the public attended the planning committee meeting of Whitchurch Town Council.
They included members of the WH21 sustainability campaign group, which is calling on Tesco to expand at its current White Lion meadow site in the town centre instead.
Roger McMinn, a WH21 member, said: “An out-of-town development of this size will damage the sustainability of our town centre and stop people from having a choice of goods and services in this area.
“The location removes the need to come into to town at all.”
He added the equivalent of one third of the population has signed a petition opposed to Tesco’s plans.
Residents told the meeting they feared two Tesco stores in a town of Whitchurch’s size would create “a monopoly”. Hilary Whitson said: “This town deserves better than to have Tesco take it over.”
The town council’s comments will now be considered by planning bosses at Shropshire Council, which will make the final decision.
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The town centre is already devastated, at least with Tesco opening a store out of town I will have somewhere to shop.
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A more devastating effect is certain where Shropshire Council forces parking charges on small towns.
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I wish the councillors in oswestry and on the S.P.Committee have the same common sense as cllr Philip Walker.
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The town has suffered enough from the economic downturn without adding an out of town store. I am not against Tesco, but I am against this out of town development. I understand car parking fees are to be implemented soon which will encourage people to go to the out of town store, so these fees should not be implemented either.
The details can be found on the whitchurch21.com site
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Its very pleasing to see that the Town Council have finally backed the people of Whitchurch by objecting to this terrible proposal. Cllr Walker has spoken perfect sense. The petition, Herald survey and even Tesco’s own community consultation show there is no wish to see this happen by the people of this town. All that is needed now is for the Planners to throw it out and give the people what they want which is a competitor to Tesco in the form of Sainsburys at the top of the High Street. Only then will we have real choice and it will encourage more companies to come and invest here. Within a couple of years of this happening we will have a flourishing High Street and town centre benefiting everyone and not just the self interested few. Already in Oswestry they are pulling out of their promises to the town, who’s to say they wouldn’t do the same in Whitchurch, after all, they only care about themselves and their business.
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