Tesco wins new superstore battle
PLANS to build a Tesco supermarket in the centre of Ashtead have been given the go-ahead.
Planning inspector Nicholas Hammans made his decision to allow a 1,499 square metre store on the former Esso site in The Street on Tuesday following an eight-day planning inquiry last month.
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APPROVED: An artist's impression of what the new Tesco store could look like.
Ever since Tesco's intentions for the site were first announced in 2008, campaigners have fought bitterly against it, arguing about the adverse effect on village life, traffic and amenities.
Gillian Russell, a spokeswoman for the Save Ashtead's Village Environment (SAVE) campaign group, said: "We are extremely disappointed at the result.
"It certainly seems that in Ashtead people power has been of no effect.
"This decision is totally against the spirit of the times where the enormous power of supermarket monopolies such as Tesco is being challenged nationwide."
The plans received 1,231 letters of objection and 6,396 signatures on a petition – compared to just 39 letters of support.
Paul Le Versha, the chairman of the Ashtead Residents' Association, said that the decision would be "lamented" by many.
"There were strong reasons to reject the appeal and they were well argued," he said.
"Unfortunately, despite the extraordinary efforts made by local people to have their voices heard, they were not enough.
"The commercial muscle of Tesco and the malign urbanising influence of central government have won the day. Ashtead will now change."
Judy Smale, a member of SAVE, also represented environmental group Transition Ashtead at the inquiry.
She said: "We find it incredibly difficult to understand this decision, given the safety and pollution issues and the weight of community."
She added: "It seems that profit has outweighed community benefits. A great shame for Ashtead and very hard to believe."
In his report, Mr Hammans praised the residents who had organised the opposition to the plans, saying he was "impressed by the volume of objections" and "the weight and quality of evidence" they had presented.
He imposed a number of conditions, including that safety improvements to the Woodfield Lane junction went ahead before the store opened as well as opening and delivery hours for the store.
Jonathan Simpson, a spokesman for Tesco, said: "I think the democratic planning process has been followed, in terms of allowing local people to comment and then going to the experts through a planning inquiry.
"I think everything has been followed through and we are really hopeful that the store will be built and bring jobs to the area and allow consumers to have more choice."
Comments
by Linda, Ashtead
Friday, August 27 2010, 6:27PM
“There is no certainty the development will be able to proceed because a condition imposed by the Inspector clearly states that the long stay parking in the APMH car park must be relocated before development commences.
Unlike the process so far where the views of Councillors (and therefore, in effect, residents) were stated by the Inspector to make "no difference whatever to the planning issues" on which he based his decision, the use of the car park is a decision entirely for MVDC and is not subject to planning regulations and constraints or outside interference.
In reaching its decision on car parking in the village, MVDC can and should be taking into account wider community issues, not the least of which is the overwhelming view of Ashtead residents that existing parking arrangements should remain unchanged. Parking is already difficult for residents close to The Street and yet nobody (including the Inspector) has come up with an answer as to where the 50+ cars per day from new office developments behind The Street and from Tesco staff will park if there is no long stay parking available in the village.
Current parking arrangements work very well for villagers, visitors, workers, shops and shoppers alike. Unlike many other places Ashtead is not blighted by chronic on-street parking problems. Why would MVDC wish to change the existing effective and efficient parking arrangements just to meet the demands of a supermarket which the overwhelming majority of Ashtead residents do not want and whose claimed benefits to the community are highly contentious?
Councillors should be in no doubt as to residents' views from the many previous submissions made, but I would urge people to again contact their local Councillors and make their views known so as to ensure their wishes are properly considered”