Redbridge Council has objected to Tesco's plans to build a large development in Highams Park (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)
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Redbridge Council has objected to Tesco's plans to build a large development in Highams Park
3:00pm Monday 31st August 2009 in
REDBRIDGE Council is opposed to a plans for a large Tesco development in Highams Park.
The neighbouring authority claims that the shopping area in South Woodford would lose ten per cent of its trade if the development on industrial land off Larkshall Road goes ahead.
The decision on the application to build a 24-hour store, 253 homes, a 350-space underground car park, shops and rented space is due to be made on Tuesday, September 8.
An agenda for the meeting states Redbridge Council believes the development location contravenes its planning guidelines, those of Waltham Forest Council and government guidelines on building in town centres.
Tesco insist the development is the only way forward for the area.
A total of 159 objections to the plan, which is called Highams Green, were registered during a consultation process, while five individuals or bodies supported it.
Primary care trust NHS Waltham Forest is in favour of the development as it is in negotiations to open a polyclinic on the site.
The Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment also supports the plan, praising the ‘thoughtful design’.
Objectors believe the development will ruin the so-called village feel of area, undermine independent traders and bring in excess traffic.
A Crime prevention advisor for the Metropolitan Police has also expressed concerns that a path linking the development site with Aldriche Estate could be used as a rat-run by scooter and motorbikes riders.
Chingford MP Iain Duncan Smith, has warned that Highams Park ‘will die’ if the development goes ahead. He will chair a public meeting on the issue at Highams Park School, in Handsworth Avenue, on Wednesday, September 2, at 7.30pm.
A previous Tesco application to build on the site was blocked by then secretary of state for local government and communities Ruth Kelly, who ruled the previous plan was not in-keeping with its surroundings.
A Tesco spokeswoman said: "Spenhill, the regeneration arm of Tesco, has submitted a retail assessment as part of the development proposals for Highams Park.
"This assesses the impact a new store would have on the local and surrounding areas.
"This assessment has been checked not only by Waltham Forest Council officials but also by independent planning consultants, hired on behalf of the council, to review this work.What came out of this review is that the impact of Tesco is wholly acceptable.
"We are confident a new food store in Highams Park would benefit local residents and traders by encouraging shoppers to stay in the town."
A Waltham Forest Council spokeswoman said the authority declined to comment as Tesco's application was due to be discussed next week at the planning committee.
Comments(17)
The Stowaway
says...
8:29pm Mon 31 Aug 09
Redfox
says...
9:02pm Mon 31 Aug 09
This is most confusing since the Guardian carried a story about 3 months ago from an active member, dedicated to drum up support for funding the return of the former BXL Halex war memorial - so that it could sit as a focal point!, in the Tesco car park.
As for security on a footpath at the back, presumably police suggesting Tesco should pay for cctv sites - what's the point of that?
There's already a council cctv at the Broadway which overlooks the crossing barriers, and far from being used to catch & prosecute the 80 uniformed 'little darlings' from the Highams Park School who abused 3 local shopkeepers in the Spring, everybody has kept deadly quiet on the subject.
Not one so far, has even been disciplined by the school, let alone the police. Or has everyone been sworn to silence?
Malcolm Shykles
says...
12:01am Tue 1 Sep 09
Tesco found guilty of using bogus statistics to convince town it needed a supermarket.
Tesco was trashed by the Advertising Standards Authority for claiming a 'comprehensive' poll found in favour of a new supermarket in Manningtree Essex.
The comprehensive poll when tested by the ASA showed that only 4 people in 100 said they would like to see a new Tesco.
The ruling calls into question the honesty and integrity of the way Tesco has bullldozed through similar planning applications across the country.
A spokesman for Tesco said: "We are disappointed at this ruling. We go to great lengths to ensure that customers and communities are well informed about our development proposals, and that any information we provide is helpful and accurate."
Taking the **** aren't they?
Also Tesco have also been accused of faking letters, manipulating statistics and giving downright wrong information.
Our Local Government is no match for the hard business heads of the Tesco Executive.
Having purchased the Industrial land at some £850,000 per acre the Tesco’s land is worth in the region of some £5,000,000 per acre with housing permission.
Tesco is not doing us any favours; they are in effect stealing our land at an instant 500% profit.
gutterball
says...
8:54am Tue 1 Sep 09
This new Tesco will benifit the young by giving them jobs and also the elderly by giving them a greater choice of products closer to where they live.
Everyone against this new Tesco is proberly over the age of 50 anyway!
Oliver_Highams_Park
says...
9:20am Tue 1 Sep 09
If this development is allowed to go ahead after such public outcry it will be a travesty for democracy and show how little this borough council cares about what its (taxpaying) residents actually want.
Oliver_Highams_Park
says...
9:22am Tue 1 Sep 09
If this development is allowed to go ahead after such public outcry it will be a travesty for democracy and show how little this borough council cares about what its (taxpaying) residents actually want.
isb61
says...
9:43am Tue 1 Sep 09
Oliver_Highams_Park
says...
9:46am Tue 1 Sep 09
gutterball wrote:Firstly, I'm 36 and against this development and many others campaigning against it are too.
Highams Park is dead. Tesco would bring new jobs to the area, employing local people to work within their local area.
This new Tesco will benifit the young by giving them jobs and also the elderly by giving them a greater choice of products closer to where they live.
Everyone against this new Tesco is proberly over the age of 50 anyway!
Secondly, it is a myth that supermarkets bring jobs to an area. A study done by the National Retailer Planning Forum showed that there was an average net loss of jobs (276) for every supermarket opened.
The 'jobs' Tesco will bring will be low paid, unskilled, and include working unsociable hours (this store will operate 24 hours/day). Tesco is not known for treating its workers well, it recently threatened warehouse workers in Chepstow telling them to accept an 8 year pay freeze of face redundancy. It doesn't even give its supermarket workers a staff discount anymore.
Tesco just made an annual profit of £3.13 billion.
Helen, Walthamstow
says...
9:47am Tue 1 Sep 09
If the campaigners have any sense, however, they will abandon this "village" rubbish. Though there was a small hamlet called Hale End, Highams Park itself was built up as an extension of Walthamstow. It never was a village and it doesn't have a village feeling now. There is no more of a sense of community there than in any other part of Waltham Forest, and its shopping centre is a collection of betting and tanning shops, sandwich outlets and a few convenience stores, among which I count Budgens. The more useful shops like the butcher's and greengrocer's have closed down because they weren't sufficiently patronised by the so-called villagers who preferred to get in their cars and drive to other supermarkets but don't want one in their own backyards.
Harping on about the loss of village life just makes residents look foolish and undermines their case.
Morris Hickey
says...
9:38pm Tue 1 Sep 09
Almost as daft as talking about Walthamstow "Village".
Investigations
says...
6:19am Wed 2 Sep 09
Helen, Walthamstow
says...
11:04am Wed 2 Sep 09
Walthamstow Village at least has a good claim to its name. It is the area on which Walthamstow, as we now know it, was founded. It began life as a hamlet over 1,000 years ago and grew into a real village with a workhouse built in 1730 (now Vestry House Museum) which later became the seat of its council (until the "new" town hall was built in Orford Road in 1866).
In addition, Walthamstow Village now has a vibrant community life with lots of communal activities for those who want to participate.
Much more a "village" than Highams Park.
And before you say it - no, I don't live there.
isb61
says...
11:22am Wed 2 Sep 09
Helen, Walthamstow wrote:Rather than harping on about who has a village & who hasn't, we should stick to the salient fact that tesco want to build a superstore & dense residential properties in an area that has neither the public transport infrastructure or road system to support it
Morris Hickey says: Harping on about the loss of village life just makes residents look foolish and undermines their case. Almost as daft as talking about Walthamstow "Village". Walthamstow Village at least has a good claim to its name. It is the area on which Walthamstow, as we now know it, was founded. It began life as a hamlet over 1,000 years ago and grew into a real village with a workhouse built in 1730 (now Vestry House Museum) which later became the seat of its council (until the "new" town hall was built in Orford Road in 1866). In addition, Walthamstow Village now has a vibrant community life with lots of communal activities for those who want to participate. Much more a "village" than Highams Park. And before you say it - no, I don't live there.
Morris Hickey
says...
1:52pm Wed 2 Sep 09
What_a_Dump
says...
7:04pm Wed 2 Sep 09
Why we could'nt have 30 minutes no return parking I dont know.
What will Tesco bring other than more traffic in an area choking already. More population all needing local services putting pressure on school places at the already oversubscribed schools.
A smaller store like the new Aldi on the A12 would have been much more suitable to the arear and on a smaller scale.
Also there has been talk of opening the low Hall cuve that would mean trains to Straford as well as liverpool st passing through Highams park,this would mean the crossing would be closed a good deal more.
Tesco go to hell
What_a_Dump
says...
7:14pm Wed 2 Sep 09
Why we could'nt have 30 minutes no return parking I dont know.
What will Tesco bring other than more traffic in an area choking already. More population all needing local services putting pressure on school places at the already oversubscribed schools.
A smaller store like the new Aldi on the A12 would have been much more suitable to the arear and on a smaller scale.
Also there has been talk of opening the low Hall cuve that would mean trains to Straford as well as liverpool st passing through Highams park,this would mean the crossing would be closed a good deal more.
Tesco go to hell
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A birdseye view of the Highams Green development
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Heartlysmum says...
3:45pm Mon 31 Aug 09
The traffic day and night will be really bad and we have a so many supermarkets to choose from for the weekly shop all within a short distance even by well serviced public transport. Within 10 minutes from Chingford by car we have 3 Tesco stores namely Woodford, Edmonton and Waltham Abbey. 2 Waitrose namely Buckhurst Hill and Woodford 5 Sainsbury stores 2 in Walthamstow Chingford Loughton and Woodford, Morrisons in Chingford and Loughton then there are the are all the smaller shops the choice is endless.