Tesco / ASDA !!!

[Victor M]

In answer to the above comments

1  By going to the local shops in keeps Gregg's etc in business, without the student income they would close.

2  The people driving to other supermarkets from Marple aren't clogging up Marple, they are adding to the congestion in hazel Grove, Bredbury etc.

3  At present a large number of people either walk or drive to the co-op, which is centrally located, and doing so pass local shops where they buy other things from (Butchers, Bakers, hardware store etc.) If there was a Tesco built they would drive to that store, park up, shop and then drive home. Not visiting any local stores because they are too far away

[marplex]

I am going to keep an open mind and as with most things there are going to be winners and losers. I have to say however that at the moment I am very much in favour of a new Tesco's in Marple.

all the students would go to the Tesco's for lunch

What is wrong with that? they have to go somewhere, where do they go now?

It would be like the rush hour but 12 hrs a day

At the moment people are driving through Marple going to Stockport & Bedbury, etc. A store in Marple would result in less driving for residents and people in surrounding area's instead of driving through would stop in Marple.  It would also mean less traffic in Bredbury!

half the shops would shut as a result

I disagree, the shops in Marple are not competing with the Supermarkets. We are all going to the Supermarkets now anyway in Stockport & Bredbury or wherever. In fact because residents would be more likely to stay in Marple and people from the surrounding area instead of driving through actually stop in Marple the local shops could actually see a boom in business.

[Victor M]

Sorry don't agree, you only have to look at the impact that Morrissons had on Bredbury to realise that a large supermarket like Tesco would decimate Marple and clog it up with traffic. Marple's roads can't handle what's thrown at them now. It would be like the rush hour but 12 hrs a day.
Also a new Tesco would move the centre of Marple down to Hibbert Lane, all the students would go to the Tesco for lunch and half the shops would shut as a result.

[hollins]

I don't really care whether it is Tescos, Sainsbury's, Aldi or whoever, it is high time that the Co-op in Marple had some competition: their prices are terrible, their shelves are often empty (especially of fruit and vegetables) and a sizable minority of their staff are very impolite.

Tescos wouldn't bring any more traffic - the same number of people will do the same amount of shopping ... they just won't have to drive into Stockport or Hazel Grove to do it. I can't imagine many people from outside deliberately driving into Marple because a new supermarket has opened there. Nor can I imagine any decent small shop in the centre of Marple suffering: the supermarkets simply don't sell the same things.

[mabel]

All planning applications succeed eventually. Planning is exactly like playing poker. Only when you give up do you fail.

While I appreciate his candid opinion on the proposal, it's heartening to see the Poynton folk weren't quite so defeatist as the councillor.  Local folk should be entitled to a say in their environment and the success or failure of a development shouldn't just come down to who has the fat wallet.

After they won their battle with Tesco, their campaign website was taken down, but it's still possible to view a copy of it via archive.org here.

[mabel]

The Tescopoly site regarding objections to a store in Poynton makes interesting reading http://www.tescopoly.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=857&Itemid=107

[Miss Marple]

That's a good point Victor?  I am awaiting other replies from councillors and our MP. 

[Victor M]

I disagree with Cllr Bispham statement that "No local councillors have been involved in the procedure", Margaret McLay who was a Lib Dem councillor for Romiley until the last elections in May when she lost her seat has been present at meetings where the possible use of the land has been discussed.
Or is Romiley not local?
The minutes have not been published by the college due to their commercial sensitivity, which I suspect is a ruse by the college to stop residents objecting and putting off bids from various organisations in advance of planning permission being sought.
The college would want to get the best price for the land so they should open it up to competitive bids, so why are they keeping the minutes secret for nearly 2 years!

[alan@marple]

Sound advice from Councillor Bispam, he I would trust!

[admin]

Miss Marple has had another reply from Cllr Bispham:

From: "Cllr Andrew Bispham"
Date: 13 June 2011 19:03:21 GMT+01:00
To: "Miss Marple"
Subject: Hibbert Lane Site.

"Miss Marple",

Following your e mails at weekend I have asked about the Hibbert Lane site today. As I said at weekend, nothing has changed. The land is designated as housing land and if a supermarket chain were to put in an application for a store, it would, or certainly should be, refused. In addition there is a covenant on part of the site around the gym facilities.          

The above notwithstanding, the following is a possible scenario which I have given to residents before.

Assume the site is purchased, a planning application is submitted, and is then refused by Stockport MBC. The applicant would then immediately appeal to the Secretary of State against such a decision as the owner of the site has a right to dispose of it or develop it as they see fit. Having invested heavily in purchasing the site they have an enormous interest in that investment.

The appeal could go two ways. Either the decision is upheld or dismissed.

A) If it is upheld the next step would be the High Court and the case would be decided by the courts.

B) If however it is dismissed, the store chain would then get planning permission from the Secretary of State to do as they wished. Stockport MBC would then in all probability have costs awarded against them for delaying a legitimate application. Not only would you get your store, but as ratepayers, you would have the privilege of paying to build it.

In addition, Stockport MBC would not be able to place conditions on the applicant as they didn't grant permission.

Here are some salient points to the above.

At no time in the above have any local councillors been involved in the procedure.

An application of this sort would never be decided at a local level.

All planning applications succeed eventually. Planning is exactly like playing poker. Only when you give up do you fail.

Planning is an expensive game, barristers, lawyers and planning consultants are not cheap, if an applicant is prepared to spend thousands on winning, then objectors have to be prepared to spend the more to defeat them.

Regards, Andrew Bispham

[Miss Marple]

Has anyone any idea of how we can start the objections before it gets to the planning dept .......

Why are so many people set on objecting to something they know nothing about?

Wait until you see some proposals and, if you don't agree with them, object then.

That's what I am trying to do Harry!  It's called having an informed choice !!!  Which is not a phrase you hear so much especially in Stockport.  Armed with knowledge and the right to active consultation, mountains have been known to be moved,  armchair  politics is exactly why nothing ever gets done, and then most of us have that 'OH MY GOD ' type moment !   

[Victor M]

Also from the last minuted Corporation Meeting meeting it states that Councillor Margaret McLay [Governor] (MMY) was present at the meeting from Item 6.4. Item 6.4 was deemed confidential on the grounds of commercial sensitivity and minuted separately. Miss Marple I'm sure you would like to point this out to Cllr Bispham, for info Margaret McLay was a Lib Dem councillor for Romiley until the last elections in May when she lost her seat.

[Miss Marple]

I am slowly but surely coming to the conclusion that our representatives think that they can speak on our behalf!

Imagine their impertinence! Surely when the community elect someone to act / speak on their behalf then you can hardly be shocked when they do.

Think you missed my point !  I am talking democratic not totalitarian 

[sgk]

Cllr Alexander is not listed on the Cheadle and Marple College web site as a governor or committee member and I suspect the info you have linked to may be out of date.
You would note that it is dated 2006. There is a Cllr. Margaret McLay listed as a Governor and I think she may have taken over Cllr Alexander's role some time ago.

http://www.camsfc.ac.uk/cmsfc-about.asp?AboID=44

Agree, good point.  Bit of a shambles this "register of interests" lark.  Shan's says she's still a governor at CAMSFC, Margaret's doesn't mention her governorship at CAMSFC, and another Marple councillor Kevin Dowling just doesn't list whether he has interests or not.

[Belly]

I am slowly but surely coming to the conclusion that our representatives think that they can speak on our behalf!

Imagine their impertinence! Surely when the community elect someone to act / speak on their behalf then you can hardly be shocked when they do.