Councillors vote to reject Bath Tesco plans
Councillors have voted to throw out plans for a new Tesco supermarket on the former Bath Press site during a meeting this afternoon.
An application for the single-storey shop with a 395-space car park below it, as well as housing and offices, was due to be heard at a Bath and North East Somerset Council development control committee meeting back in December.
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Tesco
But it was re-scheduled for today, because of complications involving a rival bid for a new £160 million Sainsbury’s development in Green Park.
A planning policy called “sequential testing” means that sites closest to the city centre should be considered for development ahead of any further afield.
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As things stand, the Sainsbury’s proposal should take precedent, but there are questions over whether that scheme will ever be able to go ahead because Homebase, which is located on the site, has said it does not intend to leave until at least 2020.
However, council officers stood by their original decision to recommend that the Tesco application was refused, saying there was no rush for a new supermarket in Bath.
Ann Bartaby, from Tesco’s planning agent Terence O’Rourke, spoke at the meeting and said she did not agree with the council’s reasons for recommending refusal.
She said: “We do not believe this is a balanced or well-considered report that stands up to scrutiny.”
She added: “We know there is an aspiration for a food store close to Green Park, but there is no application for this and no evidence it will happen in the foreseeable future.”
Sophie Akokhia, Tesco corporate affairs manager, said the £80 million development would generate more than 600 jobs for local people.
It was also revealed that Tesco intended to contribute £5 million towards the decommissioning of the Windsor Bridge gas works, money which would be used to pay back the loan from the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership.
During the debate many of the questions from the councillors were about potential traffic problems around the Windsor Bridge junction, just outside the proposed store’s entrance.
There was also a lot of concern about the possible impact on businesses in Moorland Road, particularly after Mark Felgate, representing the Co-op, said there was a concern that the Scala store could close if Tesco was given the go-ahead.
Councillor Eleanor Jackson (Lab, Radstock) said: “I think my personal reason for objecting is the impact on Moorland Road.
“I hear what the speakers on both sides have said, and I realise it is a finely judged decision, but I am just thinking of Paulton High Street and that has become a graveyard since Tesco in Midsomer Norton arrived.”
However, other councillors felt that Tesco would serve as an “anchor” for Moorland Road, drawing in more custom from the wider area and cited the example of Keynsham.
Councillor Les Kew (Con, High Littleton) said: “I am absolutely convinced this will benefit the small retail shops in the Moorland Road area.”
He added: “Everything about the Tesco development in Keynsham has been positive all the way through.”
At the end of the debate councillors voted nine to four in favour of following the recommendation and refusing the application.
Comments
by rogerh3
Thursday, January 17 2013, 10:30PM
“how can B&NES justify its refusal on the grounds of supermarket capacity when it accepted a now defunct application from Sainsbury's"
B&NES has never accepted any application from Sainsbury's. None has yet been made; if and when one is it'll go through the usual planning process.
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"So they didn't mind Sainsbury's building a store in Odd Down"
Who's they? That decision was actually tied: 6 for and 6 against. (I believe all the LibDems voted against.) It was approved only after the chair of the committee used his second, casting vote in support of the application. Someone called Les Kew.
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by Imp-Act
Thursday, January 17 2013, 9:55PM
“At least TESCO 'Every Little Helps' is getting LOTS of FREE advertising due to this story. It would cost them a small fotune to get such a spread! Also the story of how TESCO started is a good read!”
by capndave
Thursday, January 17 2013, 7:55PM
“Cllr Les Kew said, "Everything about the Tesco development in Keynsham has been positive all the way through."
I usually agree with the logical mind of Les, but this time I'm afraid I find this a questionable analogy of the Tesco effect upon Keynsham as a comparison of the outcome for Moorland Road.
Take a walk down Keynsham High Street and count the increase in charity shops, the closure of Somerfields/Co op, the loss of the card shops, the pet shop, the stationery shop and a florist and the opening of coffee shops.
Doesn't feel too positive to me!”
by rogerh3
Thursday, January 17 2013, 5:49PM
“Committee Report: http://tinyurl.com/b868x2g
.”
by rogerh3
Thursday, January 17 2013, 5:47PM
“Exactly Kranbook and others, how can B&NES justify its refusal on the grounds of supermarket capacity when it accepted a now defunct application from Sainsbury's..."
Perhaps you should actually read the officer's report and find out what were the grounds for refusal. The sequential test is a mandatory requirement for planning decisions and in any case was just one of four reasons given for non-approval.
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by Skelator
Thursday, January 17 2013, 3:02PM
“So have much have Sainsburys bunged the planners this time, if you remember when Morrissons won there appeal via John Gummer and built on the bus depot land Bath Planning then dug up a planning consent query from sainsbury as they then decided to expand on the Green Park site.
I heard this from a gang of builders from London that where sat around at the site waiting to start work after the council had stopped them, apparently who ever was taking the money from Sainsbury was out of pocket as there monopoly was now stopped.
Lets have transparent , decisions that benefit the people of Bath, choice for the people of Bath and not grubby little deals that only benefit a select few.”
by abate
Thursday, January 17 2013, 2:17PM
“BANES ...... Bath and North East Sainsburys win again !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
by UpInTheAir
Thursday, January 17 2013, 10:48AM
“If there's no Tesco, where will I go to get beefburgers made with pig?”
by bath1946
Thursday, January 17 2013, 10:32AM
“Exactly Kranbook and others, how can B&NES justify its refusal on the grounds of supermarket capacity when it accepted a now defunct application from Sainsbury's, although after standing in line for eternities in Morrisons it is only the experiences of receiving goods near their sell by date or inappropriate substitutions that has put me off shopping for groceries online, although if this improves the officers may prove to be prescient in their conclusion. In the hope that Lidl will proceed, just to avoid Bath dominated by Tesco and Sainsbury's i would in fact prefer Aldi or Asda but i wonder if they have been put off by the delays (for whatever reason) surrounding first Safeway then Lidl. Certainly the snobbish comments i first heard 20 years ago regarding Baaath do not appear to have vanished.”
by RobOldfield
Thursday, January 17 2013, 9:42AM
“For too long have the people of Bath been denied the great taste of horse!”