With 3pc attending, not that much support for Tesco plan
Tuesday 19th July 2011
Having attended the Little Lever Tesco exhibition, I would strongly disagree that the development is well supported by local people.
Little Lever has a population of 10,000 people, of which three per cent attended the exhibition.
I have to say the local people I spoke to whilst there — probably the 16 per cent of objecting attendees—were expressing grave concerns about the size of the store and the obvious traffic implications the development is going to pose.
A consultation took place with the traffic census company, appointed by Tesco on Thursday, who took the opportunity to complete their survey at a time when 20 per cent of children have broken up for school holidays. They advised they were surveying traffic going up Ainsworth Road, but they hadn’t been asked to survey the traffic going through the busy junction at the top of Ainsworth Road.
Surely, if Tesco fails to survey the traffic through the junction appropriately, then the traffic impact report they need to produce as part of the planning application will be inadequate and unacceptable?
When consulting the public relations guys at the exhibition, they also made it clear that they had no plans to address, or even survey, the problems at other areas that would be affected, such as Lever Street, the junction at Tonge, Marsh and Victory roads, where traffic is also a concern, without the excessive pressure of increasing car journeys by people from neighbouring areas to visit the store.
I was also advised that we can expect between eight to 10 delivery lorries a day, all to enter via Crossley Street, a road that is far too small to envisage entrance to such vehicles within legal manoeuvres.
When raising this concern, I was told they would be widening the road to the grassed area beside it, the one with trees with protection orders on them, which again they seemed to have no knowledge of.
When inquiring about employment opportunities, they advised it would create jobs but these would be advertised via the local job centres and they have no commitments to employing from the local area.
I am not convinced that the three per cent of the Little Lever population who attended this event asked enough questions about the real impact this proposal will have on them.
The fact that the Tesco people advised they would be selling nothing different to their current store (no comparative goods, just more of what they sell now) begs the question of why the people of Little Lever would want this store? Surely the current eyesore the Pennine Pets Factory land could be put to far better use?
Kristy Atkinson Little Lever
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Public meeting to discuss proposals for new store
Friday 22nd July 2011
A public meeting is being held to discuss plans for a new Tesco in Little Lever.
About 300 people recently attended a two-day exhibition where Tesco’s proposals were presented to the public for the first time.
The development, which would create 100 new jobs, would see Tesco built on the derelict Pennine Pets factory site off Lever Street, with the new supermarket replacing the current Tesco Metro store in Market Street.
Residents could leave comments on the plans at the exhibition, of which 70 per cent were in favour of a new store, 16 per cent were against, and 14 per cent of contributors had not made up their minds, Tesco said.
Now former Little Lever councillor Sean Hornby has organised a second meeting, which will be held at Hardy Hall, in Church Street, Little Lever, on Wednesday at 7pm.
He said: “The community is divided over the plans.
“Tesco have done their consultation, it’s now a case of getting the community together and saying, what do we really think?
“Tesco hasn’t talked about traffic issues yet, for example.
“And if the new supermarket is going to come to the village, then what do Little Lever people want?
“Some people have been saying they are disappointed that the new supermarket is only going to do food and isn’t going to do clothes or electrical goods.
“This meeting will be a chance to discuss all of these things.”
Mr Hornby said Tesco representatives would be invited to the meeting.
Matt Magee, corporate affairs manager for Tesco, said: “We will continue to hold discussions with residents and community groups while we finalise our plans.”
Tesco is to submit a planning application later this year.
More information about the public meeting can be found on Little Lever’s new community website littlelever.org
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‘We are selling the soul of the village for a zebra crossing’
Friday 22nd July 2011
“The eyesore of the Pennine Pets Factory land could be put to better use,” says Kristy Atkinson (not much support for Tesco plan, July 19).
You are correct, Kirsty, and people I have spoken to agree with you.
Having enjoyed a pleasant, motivating day at Stocks Park School on Saturday, I am appalled that we can’t do the same thing in Little Lever.
The school and voluntary groups have renovated a patch of land, built raised beds, a seating area, fruit trees and made a community amongst the greens.
Little Lever needs a community more than a Tesco.
Imagine each school in the village having a plot. Learning how to grow more not buy more.
Hands on education of real benefit. Life skills, not ticking more boxes for teachers to mark, Many residents would love an allotment. A place to sit and chat. How many elderly are stuck indoors watching TV because we fail them?
Instead we will have chaos. We are selling the soul of the village in return for a painted zebra crossing and maybe a few dangerous road humps. How many of our local traders who keep the main high street alive will survive?
A Cartmell Little Lever
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Village meeting over new Tesco
Saturday 23rd July 2011
Tesco says it currently has no plans to sell clothes or electrical items at the proposed new store in Little Lever.
Residents are to hold a public meeting concerning the planned new supermarket later this month.
They will discuss traffic issues the new Tesco could create and also what will be on offer in-store.
About 300 people attended a two-day exhibition where the proposals were presented to the public for the first time.
The development, which would create 100 new jobs, would see Tesco built on the derelict Pennine Pets factory site off Lever Street, with the new supermarket replacing the current Tesco Metro store in Market Street.
Residents could leave comments on the plans at the exhibition, of which 70 per cent said they were in favour of a new store, 16 per cent were against, and 14 per cent had not made up their minds.
Matt Magee, corporate affairs manager for Tesco, said: “We found people were going outside of Little Lever to do their weekly food shop.
“People staying in Little Lever to do their food shopping can only be a good thing for the other businesses.”
Mr Magee added the store would not be selling clothes or electrical items. Tesco is expected to submit a formal planning application later this year. The public meeting will be held at Hardy Hall at 7pm on July 27.
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And finally – my letter printed today but not yet online.
Dear Sir,
I was pleased to note that Tesco has stated that of the 300 attendees at their presentation in Little Lever, 70% were in favour of the proposal. I would have been astounded if they had announced that 70% were against.
An equally unscientific and unrepresentative poll on the Little Lever Info website informed us that people preferred Asda over Tesco by a factor of three.
Leaving this aside, Mr Davidson (he who talks to Tesco Executives) in the same issue tells us of Tesco’s expansion into 24/7 local mini-supermarkets. Information I have been given which originated from within Tesco says that their aspiration for this site is indeed for 24 hour opening with a petrol station. This would start to make commercial sense but it isn’t what the attendees were asked to comment on.
There’s many a slip twixt cup and lip and my suspicion remains that the final application plus subsequent amendments would be far different from what we were shown last week.
The required traffic survey took place last Thursday, unfortunately when 20% of the High School pupils were already on holiday. This survey was counting the traffic up and down Ainsworth Rd but when I asked the guy if he was going to survey the traffic through the junction he said –‘No – we haven’t been asked to’. Not very representative then!
In my view the access through Crossley St is unworkable and the only sensible thing to do would be to bring it straight into the junction. This would also open up the visibility of the store. Unfortunately this would involve the demolition of Mr Mooney’s shop. If this were the case, he would probably less enthusiastic about the idea.
Paul Richardson
Ripon Close
Little Lever
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The story's still very much alive, folks!
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