HIGHAMS PARK: Firm's move 'will damage local economy' (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)

HIGHAMS PARK: Firm's move 'will damage local economy'

9:04am Wednesday 16th April 2008 in

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SHOPS in Highams Park will suffer from the departure of a local company and 96 employees, its finance director David Bartlett claimed this week.

And he blamed those local residents who successfully opposed the building of a new Tesco supermarket, saying they were living in the past.

Aerospace manufacturer Farsound Engineering in Jubilee Avenue, Highams Park, moved to Harold Hill, near Romford, on Tuesday after 16 years trading in Waltham Forest.

Mr Bartlett cited the Government's refusal of planning permission for a new site after campaigning by local people and a heated public inquiry as the reason for the relocation.

He said: "The residents who were opposed to the store are living in the dark ages. Tesco was going to custom-build a new bigger site for us had they been given planning permission.

"But because the application was refused, we couldn't wait another five years for Tesco to go through the planning process again with the hope it would be passed this time."

Mr Bartlett added: "The residents who opposed the store must be living in a time warp and they are welcome to it. Plenty of businesses in Highams Park have had to close down."

He said that many employees, who will be bussed to Harold Hill every day, used local businesses.

"We would pay the guy who delivered our sandwiches £40 per day, which is £200 per week and £10,000 per year. He's going to notice that.

"In fact he's thinking of also relocating to Havering with us," Mr Bartlett added.

He said he had his hair cut at a hairdresser's in Highams Park and would continue to do so after the company move.

The Highams Park Forum opposed Tesco being built.

Roger Torode, the group's chairman, said: "What Mr Bartlett says is absolute nonsense. We opposed the supermarket because if it had gone through, it would have jammed the streets with traffic and it wasn't appropriate for Highams Park.

"We would welcome a small store and if Tesco want to talk to us about that then we would be interested to hear what it has got to say."