Post in London Road Tesco Proposal

Apr 08 18:01 UTC

What Joyce hasn't mentioned is the role the council plays in
setting the policies for local development. The Local Plan she mentions is
now being               replaced by the Local Development Framework - a
collection of studies and policy statements.

Part of the 'core' documents that form the framework, and one especially
relevant in this case, is the 2006 Retail Study, which the last Labour
Council commissioned and approved before they were voted out of office.
The study is important because it can be used to justify planning
applications for new shops.

The 30,000 study was vehemently opposed by the Greens. It predicted a
1.2bn (73%) increase in spending on non-food goods in the city between
2005 and 2016. Additionally the study suggests an extra 144m (17.5%) will
be spent on food and drink in the same period.

To service that extra demand the study predicts a need for massive growth
in shops in the city. An extra five superstores the size of the Lewes Road
Sainsburys and another whole Churchill Squares-worth of shops for
non-food items would be needed.

We disputed the assumptions made by the study  a 9% population growth was
used, whereas the official estimate for the city is 6%. Additionally the
extra spending was far beyond the official estimates of wage increases, so
much of the spend would be on borrowed money..

The study replaced an earlier (1999) work which said there was no
quantative need for new shops, but a qualitative need could be argued. The
2006 study opened the door for vast expansion of the retail sector. The
New Labour government required councils' to update Retail Study's, and B&H
chose Experian to write the study.

At the time Cllr Georgia Wrighton (Green, Hanover & Elm Grove ward), said,
in opposing the adoption of the Study, This is madness  Greens believe
theres more to life than shopping!

Given the increasing credit crunch there is even less reason to approve
plans for big shops selling stuff we dont really need to people who cant
really afford to buy them.

There is time to gather the arguments for sustainable shopping and leisure
facilities in London Road. A promising start is being made with the Open
Market redevelopment and I believe theres real enthusiasm and experience
which should enable a strong alternative to clone town Britain claiming
another victory.

Another London Road is possible! (as they say)

Keith Taylor

City Councillor for St Peters & North Laine Ward
Convenor of Green Councillors Group
tel/fax 01273 291165