16 February 2012 - MP SPEAKS OUT!Andrew Stunnell MP has again added his voice to the campaign against the Hibbert Lane supermarket plan.
He told Marple in Action - The College provides a first class education for many local young people: indeed my own son benefitted from it. I very much want to see it flourish and continue to prosper in Marple. However disposal of the Hibbert Lane site for retail use to raise capital is entirely the wrong way to achieve that. Such a possibility has already generated a very strong community reaction.
You will have seen that one of the Council’s senior planning officers has publicly offered the view that the site is not appropriate in planning terms for such retail use. There are of course very powerful planning arguments against such a development. Those include the strategic damage it could inflict on the existing Marple shopping centre, as well as the traffic, access, noise and disturbance issues generated by locating such an inappropriate use in a residential area on a minor road.
If necessary, and in due course, I will be making a formal objection to any development application along those lines.
15 February 2012 - COLLEGE COME CLEAN!Cheadle and Marple Sixth Form College have confirmed that they have entered into an agreement with Asda with the view of pursuing a proposal for the redevelopment of the Hibbert Lane campus for a supermarket. This is despite the land being outside of the area zoned in the town plan for retail development.
To date the Council has not received any further information in respect of the timing for the submission of either an application for pre-submission advice or the submission of a formal planning application.
14 February 2012 - A Valentine's Card for ASDA!
A deputation of Marple in Action members visited ASDA HQ in Leeds on 14 February to deliver a 'Valentine Card' to Chief Executive Andy Clarke.
Although MIA were unable to meet with Andy Clarke in person, a message was handed to his aide.
The information pack contained statements from Marple Councillors and MP Andrew Stunell against the proposed retail development of Hibbert Lane and a dossier showing the strength of local opposition.
Mr Clarke's aide assured MIA that the dossier and letters would be placed into Andy Clarke's hands and a response would be sent back to MIA.
Watch this space .....
11 February 2012 - Independent Retail News press release
9 February 2012 - Letter in Manchester Evening NewsReports that Stockport town centre has the highest shop vacancy rate in the country - for a large town centre - has shocked many. But the picture is very different in towns like Marple where there is a still-thriving community with independent shops and small multiples in a vibrant town centre.
At the last count only four percent of Marple shops were empty and new shops and businesses continue to open. All this could change, however, if a new out-of-centre supermarket is built on Hibbert Lane.
Shops in the town centre selling similar products to the supermarket would be first hit and could close down. Once a proportion of retail businesses have gone, there comes a tipping point where visitor numbers to the town centre fall, so threatening the remaining businesses.
People in Marple are determined that should not happen, which is why we are fighting the supermarket plans.
We have the support of local MP Andrew Stunell and, most importantly, the 7,500 people in Marple who have signed petitions against allowing Marple College to sell the land, gifted to the town for education purposes, to create a supermarket business.
David Hoyle - Marple in Action (as published in M.E.N.)
9 February 2012 - Stockport Express Local NewsANTI-supermarket campaigners in Marple have slammed government backing for Asda. Prime Minister David Cameron has given his backing to the supermarket chain's plans to open 25 new stores this year, creating 5,000 jobs nationwide.
But members of Marple in Action, the group set up to campaign against the new supermarket Asda intends to build on Hibbert Lane, say this 'flies in the face of lcoal and national government policy'. They have written a letter to Mr Cameron setting out their concerns about the effect a large supermarket will have on local businesses.
Chairman David Hoyle said in the letter: 'Supermarkets create wealth it's true, but for the executives and shareholders. Money spent in local shops gets recycled into the community; supermarkets extract it.'
8 February 2012 - News Release in National Federation Retail Newsagents trade press.
7 February 2012 - BBC Manchester Radio InterviewMarple in Action's Mick McPhee was interviewed on BBC Radio Manchester about how Marple bucks the trend compared with Stockport Town Centre vacancy rates.
2 February 2012 - Marple in Action writes to David CameronMarple in Action writes to David Cameron in response to his recent press statement welcoming ASDA plans to open 25 stores in 2012.
24/25 January 2012 Councillors issue written statementsCllrs. Candler, Wright and Alexander issue written statements against a supermarket on Hibbert Lane.
18 January 2012 - Marple Area Committee Meeting. At Marple Area Committee Meeting on 18 January the Chair was asked if the Councillors had any comments to make on the petition and survey information handed over by MIA in December. The Councillors had no comments to make.
16 January 2012 - Cllr. Bispham holds an Information EveningCllr. Bispham held an information evening about the Allocations DPD on 16 January 2012. Richard Wood, SMBC Policy Planning Manager, commented on the overwhelming number of responses received from Marple residents.
