Tesco Unthank Road
How annoying that Tesco are still trying to get planning permission to build a store on Unthank Rd despite being turned down twice and having a great deal of local opposition to it. Evening News story here.
posted by Helsalata @ 1:19 pm
10 comments
10 Comments:
A friend of my I worked shared an office with at Families House of Ber Street - Chris Hull is leading the opposition (he is also active in the Green Party).
He said that because of Tesco's vast resources they have a tactic of sitting on the land for years continually putting in planning permission until they grind everyone down. In some parts of the country land has been left barren for many years while they keep trying.
Yes that's right- it's a disgrace the amount of power that they yield. It hadn't actually twigged that the tax payer are having to pay everytime that they apply for planning permission. I think a dedicated campaign is needed... (is there one already in place?)
Yeah, there is a group in place Chris is or certainly was, heading it up. He was elected on to the City Council as a result of his work against the development. It's called something like Unthank Rd Residents Against Tesco.
Found the website from a link on the Norwich Green party website.
One has just opened at Hethersett that I think needs boycotting too. Trouble is my mother in law is pleased it's there because of the low prices...
There was a programme on Radio 4 last night (about 9.30 I think) about Tesco and planning permission (or lack of) - you can probably listen again on the BBC site. There are protests in Sheringham about them at the moment
(laura!)
Thanks for that Laura, I will try and track that down...
Found it: Face the Facts
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/facethefacts/
'John Waite investigates Britain's biggest retail chain Tesco and the way its critics claim it bends and on occasion even breaks planning law in the building of some of its new stores. John visits one community in which a superstore was built almost twenty per cent bigger than planning permission allowed. In other cases he hears how the retailer has frustrated local authorities with its attempts to overturn planning restrictions.'
That does sound interesting - I'll go listen now.
Yes I listened too. Shocking isn't it? If you were to put up a conservatory that didn't comply to the plans that were passed by the council, you would be told to take it down. And yet a store can get away with 11k feet instead of the agreed 9k? Outrageous! It's almost as if the Unthank Rd site will have to be passed in the end because Tesco can afford to keep re-submitting and the council can't afford to pay for unlimited appeals. A change in the law is necessary I think long term...
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