Big trouble over Tesco's little extra

September 14, 2006

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OUTRAGE: Over Tesco.

SUPERMARKET giant Tesco may have to give part of its new store over to the local community after it broke planning rules.

Two years ago council planners granted permission for the store to be built in Portwood, Stockport.

But local businesses and residents were outraged when the supermarket ignored its planning agreement and built an extra 18,000 sq metres of floorspace - 20 per cent more than had been agreed in the original plan.

Campaigners are now hailing a council decision rejecting an application by Tesco for retrospective planning permission to allow it to use the extra space.

Steve Parfett, spokesman for local businesses, said: "I'm absolutely delighted with the committee's decision. It shows the true value of local democracy."

He is now demanding that the extra floor space should be given over to the people of Stockport. He said: "I think that would be a honourable compromise."

The planning application is now likely to go before the full council planning committee where it could yet be granted.

A Tesco spokesman said: "We are obviously disappointed. The last thing we want is the store pulled down. We would certainly consider other uses."

But Tame Valley councillor Peter Scott said there was no risk of the store closing. "It has been suggested that if permission was not granted Tesco would pull down the store but that's ridiculous. Tesco gets 39,000 customers a week and makes huge profits."

A date for the full planning committee has yet to be set.

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Probe begins as Tesco hits town

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Paul, Manchester (14/09/2006 at 10:49)

If I were Tesco I'd pull it down and teach the local community a lesson - after all, what was there beforehand? Wasteland? They can all have a piece of that.

Drew Peacock, Eastlands (14/09/2006 at 11:00)

Well done SMBC for this decision. Shows bug business they cannot ride roughshod over planning laws.
Tesco should now partition off the 20% they built extra and give the space to community groups for storage/offices and the like.

barney, birchwood (14/09/2006 at 12:09)

residents of greenfield, saddleworth beware!!!!!

Dan, city centre (14/09/2006 at 12:41)

Never mind Tesco teaching the community a lesson, how about the local community teaching Tesco a lesson and refusing to shop there? The veg is always poor quality, all the foods are full of manufactured junk and, except for the 'loss leaders' like milk, you'll pay less for better products at your local shops.

mary, manchester (14/09/2006 at 12:53)

Power to the small trader

Well done Steve Parfett

nick, stockport (14/09/2006 at 12:56)

i agree with Paul before the Tesco was built it was nothing but a peice of wasteland...an eyesore and i'm sure these people complaining about it use the store themselves !
Some people obviously have nothing better to do than complain about everything and anything. Pathetic

Edski Vega, Notts (14/09/2006 at 12:56)

Drew Peacock you want to give 18,000 sq ft of space to community groups, which do what? have 10 members and offer services to minoritys etc? I would have thought a dentist, a doctor and a police station would be more welcome in Stockport.... bad teeth, poor health and crime should come before afganistan asylum meetings.

Matt, Manchester (14/09/2006 at 13:26)

Great news...it is about time the arraogance of the big supermarket chains was challenged. I hope this decision isn't overturned later in the day. People of Stretford, I hope you are taking note. Tesco have plans for another un-necessary store there. If you value the local shops in Stretford, Chorlton and Urmston use them and comment to the planning department. Each big supermarket opening leads to the overall LOSS of around 250 jobs in the community. This doesn't need to be repeated here.

Manc, Manchester (14/09/2006 at 13:34)

Well said Paul....then 39,000 people will have to travel else where to shop...more expense for them....tesco will just build one elsewhere.....we all know they make huge profits anyway....Councils are such a*ses!! Fingers crossed Tesco Win!!

mark, stretford (14/09/2006 at 20:26)

matt - we are well aware in stretford of what tesco are capable of. since somerfield closed tesco's prices have shot up and the quality is poor., as they are now the only supermarket we have which NO choice for the consumer.
glad stockport have taken this stance and that the planning committee do not bottle it at the last minute.

Richard, Salford, Lancs. (14/09/2006 at 20:42)

Well done to the council for not allowing corporate arrogance to win the day.

The chances of Tesco throwing their dummy out by pulling down the entrie store, which they would have invested heavily in and would still make a profit, are very slim indeed.

'arry, Arbroath (14/09/2006 at 21:07)

It is an absolute afront to sense to make a valuable firm like Teso give over any of their property to the community. They should be made to pull the whole lot down and restore the site to a reasonable tip as existed previously before applying again for permission and building according to that permission. More like new labour bully boys? PS If you dont like me calling Tonys mob you should see what I think of the opposition!

The Shadow, New Zealand (14/09/2006 at 22:40)

What about a nice drop in centre for drug addicts... then they can shop lift and rob Tesco customers....
Another short sighted own goal Stockport... Sorry, East Cheshire Metropolis. Tescos should just move the store to Ashton like Ikea have done and take all the jobs and convenience with it...

Barb, Southport (14/09/2006 at 23:02)

It's about time Tesco was told where to get off. They try it on to see how much they can get away with.

Disgruntled, Bolton, Greater Manchester, UK (15/09/2006 at 00:39)

Bloomin eck Dan, have you ever walked into a Tesco? What utter nonsense! I've shopped at Tesco nearly all my life and I have never had a complaint. Tesco started off as a small shop on a high street and over the past 30 years has become the successful buisness it is. Surely that tells you something. Why do we knock these supermarkets? They obviously do something right. Morrisons, another small shop, Boots, M&S etc... they all started off as small independant high street shops and through alot of dedication and hard work they now employ thousands and keep the economy ticking over. Maybe if more local shops sold what people wanted at the right price then people will go but to be honest life has changed. Not many people have time to go down the high street. I work shifts, i usually have a Sunday off but are my local high street shops open for me to do my shopping on my only day off? No... but Tesco is so I go there. Nuff said.

John, Manchester (15/09/2006 at 08:17)

stop moaning

Frank, Stockport (15/09/2006 at 08:30)

I can't understand why some of you people want Tescos to win. Yes there may be a need for the store, yes it may have been wasteland before, but it does not mean big companies like tesco who care for no one but themselves and their billions of profits, should ignore the town planners and do what they want as opposed to what they are allowed.
If it was you or i who had built our extension to our house without planning, or different to the granted plans, you could bet your bottom dollar the council would make us pull down our extension.
Take for example the chap in woodford recently whose house is slightly different to the plans. He has to demolish his ¿¿600,000 house.

Andrew, Manchester (15/09/2006 at 09:03)

For those who think Tesco should be allowed to get away with constructing a massive 18,000 sq metres of building without planning permission just so they wouldn't have to travel elsewhere need their heads feeling. It is against the law to construct without planning permission for all sorts of reasons. Tesco have a history of doing this across the country. It's called arrogance. How would you like it if you owned a business and you had been turned down for an extension then heard another company built one anyway and becuase it was already up, got away with it. They should be made to rip the excess down and fined heavily.

Laws are there for a reason, environmental, health and safety and regular local planning rules which can restrict all building sizes in that area. Please find out what your talking about first before commentating!

PW, Manchester (15/09/2006 at 13:08)

In Stalybridge, the traffic system is designed such that you can't help ending up at Tescos. A local trader pointed that out to me, and they are getting rare in that town. If you agree with what Tesco have done at Stockport, then just try doing a similar thing yourself. You will be covered in the proverbial "ton of bricks". It was deliberate and wrong.

Ace Riley, manchester (15/09/2006 at 13:14)

How about using the space for a shoping advice centre?Advice on what food to buy and a credit advice part that advises peole how to use money sensibly.

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