Chadwick Street / Trinity Street Development Announced

[Dave]

There's just one problem with that: as far as I am aware, none of ou councillors were elected with a mandate to oppose the improvement of educational provision in Marple.

[wheels]

Victor, how is it a choice for the local community?

The local community aren't making the choice, there is not going to be a referendum of the good people of Marple, all 25,000 of them or even a section of them. Six Councillors will be the decision.

Yes because they took the trouble to get themselves elected if you want the same decision making powers get yourself elected.

[JMC]

Asda on Hibbert Lane seems the only sensible answer. That way the college can carry out the proposed improvements. In addition the Chadwick Street store will probably not be a low cost supermarket (just my guess from what I have read and heard) which then still leaves Marple's lower income residents with the same issue that they cannot afford a full weeks shop in their town. This is why Asda is attractive to many; those without cars and the choice to access stores in neighbouring towns. As has been said above on this thread, either way there will be increased traffic, possible effects on local shops (could be positive or negative) and effects for residents.

[Dave]

see if SMBC will give them an interest free loan (or better still a part of the proceeds from the Chadwick St. sale).

Sadly, the prospect of either of the above happening is virtually nil.  Even is there were the political will to do so (unlikely) and the spare money available (even more unlikely) the government restrictions on local authority spending would rule it out. 

Sell the spare land at Cheadle

It's a very long shot, but that may be our best hope.  As far as I can recall, this was raised on this forum some months ago by an anonymous poster from casmfc staff.  We have no idea whether it is a serious possibility, but if by any chance there is a piece of land at Cheadle with development potential which could be sold off to finance the college's Marple scheme, then that could yet be a solution.  But don't hold your breath, Victor!   

[amazon]

I was answering Dave's question regarding possible alternative funding options for CAMSFC to develop Buxton Lane. Irrespective of which Supermarket it is. I get back to my original point, the choice is a Supermarket on Hibbert Lane or one on Chadwick St. Perhaps we should have a poll on it?

Ok go on .

[Victor M]

I was answering Dave's question regarding possible alternative funding options for CAMSFC to develop Buxton Lane. Irrespective of which Supermarket it is. I get back to my original point, the choice is a Supermarket on Hibbert Lane or one on Chadwick St. Perhaps we should have a poll on it?

[amazon]

Sell the spare land at Cheadle, take up Kirkland's offer to develop the land at Hibbert lane, or see if SMBC will give them an interest free loan (or better still a part of the proceeds from the Chadwick St. sale). There are endless possibilities if only they (CAMSFC) will talk to the council and our elected officials.

So you don't want an ASDA .

[Victor M]

Sell the spare land at Cheadle, take up Kirkland's offer to develop the land at Hibbert lane, or see if SMBC will give them an interest free loan (or better still a part of the proceeds from the Chadwick St. sale). There are endless possibilities if only they (CAMSFC) will talk to the council and our elected officials.

[Dave]

There are other options that CAMSFC could follow to raise the funds required to develop Buxton Lane.

Such as?

[Victor M]

and our beloved councillors, with the support of our MP, will have succeeded in their objective of sabotaging plans to improve educational facilities for the people who elected them.

I don't think any of our elected officials want to do that Dave. There are other options that CAMSFC could follow to raise the funds required to develop Buxton Lane. Linking the Buxton Lane site to the ASDA development on Hibbert Lane is a very good tactic on ASDA's part, they would like us all to think that is the only way the Buxton Lane site is developed. But it isn't.

Therefore the only decision that has to be made is, a Supermarket on Hibbert Lane or one on Chadwick St. car park. Come on Dave which one do you want?

[Dave]

When CAMSFC decided to sell the land on Hibbert Lane to a Supermarket they took the lid of Pandora's Box.

Indeed they did.  But when Victor adds:

Both developments will bring extra traffic to Marple, which development are people in favour of, it has to be one or the other? There are no other options.

.....he implies that we have a choice.  We don't - the matter is entirely out of our hands.  Sure, in due course we may express support for, or object to, planning applications, but the likelihood is that supporters and objectors will cancel each other out, and matters will then take their course, and our beloved councillors, with the support of our MP, will have succeeded in their objective of sabotaging plans to improve educational facilities for the people who elected them.  

[Victor M]

The choice is not as simple as that

Unfortunately Alstan, that is what it boils down to. With no development on the Chadwick St. car park then ASDA would get their planning permission. If the ASDA development is turned down (probably on appeal) then there will be a development on Chadwick St. When CAMSFC decided to sell the land on Hibbert Lane to a Supermarket they took the lid of Pandora's Box.

Both developments will bring extra traffic to Marple, which development are people in favour of, it has to be one or the other? There are no other options.

[alstan]

Thank you for the post (78) Simone. If you are right this will be the shabbiest episode in the 30+ years that I have lived in Marple.

Two months ago the Lib Dems published a “News Extra” with the massive headline:-
                                                         ASDA
                                                     Supermarket
                                                     Could Cause
                                                       Gridlock
                                                      For Marple
Now, it seems, SMBC are making land available to ensure that the Armageddon the Lib Dem newsletter predicted, and which is causing “outrage” locally, will be centred in the middle of the town rather than “near to centre” (MIAs words). If they do not issue another newsletter with the same caption but substituting “Chadwick Street” for “Asda” or provide some other explanation they will lose credibility and risk standing accused of cynicism and hypocrisy.

Then there is MIA who, earlier this month, restated their sole raison d’etre as “Marple in Action is a group formed in response to the threat of a proposed giant supermarket opening on Hibbert Lane. We do NOT have any other objectives.” (their emphases). Perhaps they haven’t noticed but there isn’t going to be a “giant Supermarket” on Hibbert Lane, not that anyone in their right mind could ever have thought there would be. Even if Asda were to get planning permission it will be a modest supermarket and , if they make an application and it fails, it is difficult to see they, or anyone else, submitting an application for a bigger one.

So MIA no longer has a purpose in life and yet it continues to seek to raise funds? Perhaps they are planning to respond to the plea that has been published for their support in opposing the Chadwick Street proposal??

The Kirkland presentation was as good as it could be and they appear to have been well briefed on the failings of CAMSFC/ASDA’s PR but it is still pie in the sky. I was told at the exhibition that construction will result in 18 months of disturbance in the town centre and the only thing they could tell me about potential occupiers of the supermarket was that it definitely would not be Aldi since they have already been excluded by SMBC. So much for the 2012 “Supermarket of the Year” .

Victor M,
"What the choice is now for the local community is do they want a new supermarket on Hibbert lane or one on Chadwick St."   

 The choice is not as simple as that . More important to me than the options you state is the future of our sixth form college. The choice is a modern sixth form college with all the facilities that it will provide for both students and the community plus a modest supermarket on Hibbert Lane or a similar supermarket on Chadwick Street with, at best,  cut price improvements to the existing college buildings in Buxton Lane or, at worst, a college slowly sinking into oblivion with its existing facilities (I say that because at least one of our councilors objects strongly to any development at Hibbert Lane and will presumably oppose any new housing on that site).

I am sure that, should all this lead to the eventual demise of our college, Marple Civic Society will wish to erect on Hibbert Lane a plaque identifying those responsible.

[Dave]

Maria makes a good point when she writes..

My future children want a Bentley but if I do not have the means then tough.

...meaning that if the Hibbert Lane scheme is refused and the college has to sell the site for less, then they will have to go back to the drawing board (literally) with their scheme for Buxton Lane, and make do with something cheaper.  

But it's important to understand that if this happens, it is in all likelihood the direct result of actions by our councillors, as Simone has pointed out.  Our children and grandchildren currently put up with third-rate facilities at camsfc.  They could have looked forward to them becoming first rate, but thanks to our elected representatives, they will have to make do with second rate.   With friends like that, who needs enemies......

[Victor M]

Victor, how is it a choice for the local community?

By contacting your local Councillor and making your views known