Planning Application

nickpike

Not sure if this is the right board, but here goes.
Tesco's have just applied for planning permission to put up a tesco metro right across the road from my house. When I say across the road I do mean directly across. Currently it is a car park which used to service a couple of local shops but these closed down when a Tesco store opened up 0.8 miles up the road. (I checked the distance with my sat nav) Anyway, the last thing I and the neighbours want is a tesco within touching distance. Therfore we have agreed all to object to it.

What I am needing help with is VALID reasons for objection. I have the usual suspects of traffic congestion, noise pollution. But any suggestions welcome, especially if you have experience of this sought of thing. It may be worth adding that there is a primary school just 500yds down the road and I live in a residential area not quite on the outskirts of town but near enough.

Thanks in advance

Bogof_Babe

Could be tricky if the site has previously been used for retail purposes. Perhaps you could major on the parking issue, and insist that adequate parking should remain in the close vicinity of the shop.

If it is a small "local" store, I shouldn't think it will cause too many problems - in fact (I know it's easy for me to say as it's not me in your situation) it could even turn out to be advantageous, as regards getting bread, milk and the daily paper. Ask about delivery timings, to ensure they won't create a traffic hold-up or take place in the middle of the night.

Don't applications like this often have an open forum in the area, where people can meet with reps from the potential retailers and voice their concerns?

wobbley

Loss of residential amenity.
Unacceptable level of traffic leading to residential parking problems.
Increased noise - Check proposed opening hours as 'Planning' have to approve those. Draw attention to late night / early morning / Sunday trading.
Check proposed signage. Illuminated and/or large signs don't go down well in residential areas.
Officially 'loss of view' and 'perceived drop in property value' are not valid reasons for objection. But, believe it or not - planning officers are human and do look at the overall impact of major developments. So it's not always a waste of time to include them.

doitmyself

What would you rather have there nick? It's going to be something isn't it, more than just a, I assume now relatively useless car park?

I think the other 2 posters here have given you some good opinion and they may even be professionally close to the subject but from my layman's perspective I'd rather have a secure, managed site close to my home than a derelict site.
Just wondering...

MikeLB

Is it a Metro or an Express? I would check that out first. A Metro would be larger than an Express and make your arguement easier about traffic etc, but Tesco policy at the moment is to supplement larger Superstores / Extras with very small Express stores in nearby local areas. The idea being that people can get the basics / top ups at local 'Express' corner shops like milk and then do the main shops at the big stores.

If the site has a small car park and previously used to have 2 small shops - then the objection will be more difficult. The reason being - If there was a shop there before, why is there an issue now when Tesco apply? Is it an objection to having any shop at all or an objection becuase it's Tesco? I ask because of the line you used - 'Anyway, the last thing I and the neighbours want is a tesco within touching distance'. It sounds as though you have all made up your minds. I am hoping that you have studied the ground plans, building designs etc before making that conclusion.

If it is an Express - I would welcome it with open arms and think seriously about it before objecting. Small 'Big Brand shops' such as Tesco Express, M&S Simply Food etc are now quite sought after and add value to the local areas house prices. (How many new flat developments now have one of these on the ground floor?!). External signage is now changed to suit the local areas (A number of Express stores in Scotland use Black signs as opposed to white, and hang the signs behind the windows as opposed to outside the building). As for delivery times, Tesco acknowledge they aint got it right in a lot of the Express stores - But providing the locals raise the concerns you would be amazed at how quickly they do address them - Delivery times get staggered and parking restrictions put in place to try and aleviate problems.

Off my soap box now! But thats how I would approach it.

nickpike

Thanks for your responses.
"doitmyself" you've raised a point I've been thinking about since the start of this. Is having a Tesco better or worse than having something else there.
Mike - I personally don't have anything against Tesco. I shop there all the time.(I'm actually giving them money to build this!) You could substitute it for Sainsbury's/M&S dependant on who was planning to build there. I just don't see the value of stepping out my front door to see the back end of a building in my face. If it was down the road then yes it probably would have a decent effect on my house price. But now I'm swaying dangerously close to the whole "not in my back yard" territory.

Thanks again for the responses it's always good to get both points of view.