Supermarket debate looks set to rumble on 6 October, 2011
Posted by Jeremy Rowe in News, Planning.Tags: Egloshayle, Supermarkets, Wadebridge
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I came to County Hall this morning for a meeting of the Communities OSC but, on the completion of that committee’s business, I wandered down the corridor and crept into the back of the Council Chamber to watch the proceedings of the Strategic Planning Committee.
The lion’s share of that agenda was taken up with supermarket applications for Hayle. Sainsbury’s, Asda and Morrison’s all want a piece of the action around the town and in a sense the arguments here are not dissimilar to those heard with regard to the Wadebridge applications. You may recall that Sainsbury’s won that day, although there are strong indications that Morrison’s will challenge the decision in the courts.
Part of Morrison’s disappointment with the Wadebridge decision was that the vote on the Sainsbury’s application had already been taken before they had had a chance to present their proposals. They argued that both sets of plans should have been fully discussed before taking a vote at the end. The Council dismissed this argument at the time, but I notice today that all the Hayle applications will be heard before any vote is taken.
I imagine Morrison’s lawyers are watching with interest…
Wadebridge Supermarkets – Round Two 6 August, 2011
Posted by Jeremy Rowe in Local Matters, News.Tags: Cornwall Council, Egloshayle, Supermarkets, Wadebridge
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Early indications are that the Sainsbury’s and Morrison’s applications for a fourth supermarket in Wadebridge will be heard by Cornwall Council’s Strategic Planning Committee on 25th August. Sainsbury’s have a slightly modified plan for the land around Higher Trenant while Morrison’s are submitting an amended application for a smaller operation by Wadebridge Town Football Club‘s ground at Bodieve.
Sainsbury’s have recently stepped up their campaign by sending a flyer around the area urging people to email their views to local councillors. So far the responses I have received as a result of this are roughly six-to-one in opposition to the development but I’m fully aware that these things tend to be quite self-selecting and are unlikely to give any meaningful snapshot of what people really think. My sense is that there is a fairly even split between those in favour and those against further supermarket development in the area and that, of those in favour, the larger portion seem to prefer Morrison’s to Sainsbury’s.
It is still my view that out of town supermarket developments are likely to do nothing but harm to town centres and the surrounding economy and I am sure that there will once again be a lively debate when these proposals come before the committee. I am not a member of the Strategic Planning Committee, and so will have no vote, but I do plan to speak to both these applications at the meeting on the 25th.
Cornwall Council, Planning and Adverts 23 May, 2011
Posted by Jeremy Rowe in Local Matters, News, Planning.Tags: Cornwall Council, Egloshayle, Supermarkets
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The Cornish Guardian’s Richard Whitehouse informs me that Cornwall Council have started posting advertisements on the Council website. On the face of it this seems like a creative way to raise a few extra quid in these tough financial times but clicking on the planning pages perhaps raises the odd ethical question.
When I had a look earlier I noticed a banner advert at the top of the Planning page for Sainsbury’s supermarket. Considering this particular operator had a more than slightly contentious application turned down for an out of town supermarket in Egloshayle Parish (and have recently submitted revised plans) one would hope that Cornwall Council would at least want to preserve the appearance of objectivity with regard to this area. Factor in the rumoured £10m the Council stands to receive if Sainsbury’s newest application is successful and the whole thing looks a little worse.
I wouldn’t suggest for a minute that such things might influence planning considerations – I’ve seen the Strategic Planning Committee at work and I have no doubts as to the fairness of its decision-making – but someone at Cornwall Council should surely be aware that, not only do things need to be fair, they must be seen to be fair too.
I’ve no idea what the decision-making process was that led to the selling of advertising on the Council website, but I suspect it would have been signed off by a Member of the Cabinet. In which case, whoever they are, they should probably have a think about who they sell advertising to and – crucially – where they place it.
Supermarket Planning decisions 24 January, 2011
Posted by Jeremy Rowe in Local Matters, News, Planning.Tags: Cornwall Council, Egloshayle, St Breock, Supermarkets, Wadebridge
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Cornwall Council’s Strategic Planning Committee has finally reached its decisions with regard to the three supermarket applications affecting Egloshayle and St Breock Parishes, and therefore the town centre of Wadebridge.
In the event the Committee were not persuaded by the arguments put forward by Sainsbury’s and Morrison’s, comfortably refusing both, but they reluctantly approved the extension to the West Hill Tesco store.
Regardless of anyone’s opinions on the individual decisions, I must pay tribute to the Chairman, Mike Varney. What could have been a difficult afternoon was expertly handled from the Chair, with everyone being kept on track and all views being fairly represented.
Knowing the supermarkets as we do, I dare say we won’t have heard the last from the two unsuccessful applicants – an appeal is sure to follow. But at least the Committee had the courage to draw a line in the sand today, refusing to accept the supermarkets’ first offer and insisting that the Wadebridge area can do better. It was a shame, from my point of view, that the Tesco application slipped through but you can’t have everything. In a sense, a day like today proves that there’s still a case for local democracy.
Wadebridge supermarkets – decision time 24 January, 2011
Posted by Jeremy Rowe in Local Matters, News, Planning.Tags: Cornwall Council, Egloshayle, St Breock, Supermarkets, Wadebridge
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Cornwall Council’s Strategic Planning Committee meets in St Austell this afternoon to discuss the three supermarket applications proposed for the outskirts of Wadebridge in the Parishes of Egloshayle and St Breock. These items were originally due to be discussed in October but the matters were deferred pending a further series of reports on the economic impact on the area.
It was my view at the time that the Committee did not have enough information to approve any of the applications and, looking through the papers for today’s meeting, I haven’t changed my mind. I understand that there are a number of people who would welcome at least one additional supermarket into the area, but I believe that it is vital that any application has to be right before it is approved. Once permission is granted there is no going back – I hope the Committee will realise it doesn’t have to accept the first offer the supermarkets make when the consequences could be so damaging for the local economy.
In summary, the applications are:
Morrison’s – New supermarket at Bodieve with additional facilities for Wadebridge Town Football Club (officer recommendation for refusal)
Sainsbury’s – Larger supermarket at Higher Trenant with no ‘legacy’ contribution to local facilities (officer recommendation for approval)
Tesco’s – Extension to West Hill store, again with no ‘legacy’ (officer recommendation for approval)
I aim to post here soon after the decisions have been taken by the Committee.
