Bridgwater Tesco plan approved - reaction here (From This is The West Country)
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Bridgwater Tesco plan approved - reaction here
Updated 5:46pm Tuesday 12th February 2013 in Somerset By Newsdesk
This live event has finished
Latest
- Sedgemoor District Council approves Tesco store application
- 24-hour supermarket planned for former Northgate site
- Fierce opposition to proposal from some in Bridgwater
- Debate over the possibility of Tesco stretches back to 2009
- Reporter Matthew Colledge giving live updates from meeting
5:46pm
4:16pm Tue 12 Feb 13
grisleyreg says
Anyone coming from Taunton to shop at this new 24 hour shop will have to join the traffic queue at Huntworth like the rest of us
5:46pm
#bridgwatertesco glad it's been approved, might actually be able to get a job now.
— @HEIDIx__ 12 February 2013
#bridgwatertesco it's taken too long to be approved, as a member of staff in taunton, can now get a transfer to save money #easierliving
— @Havoc717 12 February 2013
2:09pm
1:30pm Tue 12 Feb 13
swjoduk says
#bridgwatertesco As if Bridgwater needs another supermarket and as for people travelling to use it tesco's are in every town in Somerset
Someone needs to tell Barbara that this is not any Tesco, this is an Extra with the closest Extra stores situated in Yeovil, Exeter and Bristol.
I can very well imagine people from Taunton, Minehead, Burnham and Weston travelling to Bridgwater to shop there.
I myself have travelled to the Yeovil and Exeter Vale Tesco Extra's specifically as they have a far greater range of non food items.
Maybe these visitors will then pop into our town centre to visit one of the many discount stores, food outlets, phone shops, estate agents or charity shops.....or perhaps not. The town centre is nothing to shout about, Tesco cannot make it any worse!
In fact do away with half the shops, replace them with nice clean restaurants to match Prezzo e.g. Bella Italia, Nandos, Wagamamas, La Tasca, Cafe Rouge, that kinda thing plus more bakeries, sandwich shops, delicatessens etc and small independant shops. Then it would be a vast improvement.
People could get what they need from Tesco, other supermarkets and out of town retail and then get something nice to eat or something specialized which cant be found elsewhere.
1:35pm
@BWMercury Tesco go ahead is GREAT news as it will bring hundreds of jobs to the area. Well done SDC for making the right choice.
— @shaneburney 12 February 2013
1:34pm
@BWMercury At last!! This will mean more jobs for the town!!
— @TomSingleton4 12 February 2013
1:33pm
@BWMercury well they have just signed the death warrant for the Town centre - lets see how long before we're told the PO is going in there!
— @sandratizzard 12 February 2013
1:23pm
12:53pm Tue 12 Feb 13
scally666 says
good news for the town as a whole i think!!
as for rip bridgwater town centre
that started when Tesco & M&S left
now at least Tesco are coming back
1:04pm Tue 12 Feb 13
grisleyreg says
Do any of the councillors who voted in favour actually live in Bridgwater I suspect not
12:36pm
#bridgwatertesco As if Bridgwater needs another supermarket and as for people travelling to use it tesco's are in every town in Somerset
— @bgmullan 12 February 2013
12:12pm
Tesco's Melanie Chiswell: "I'm delighted. It's been a long time working towards today." Store could open in summer 2014. #BridgwaterTesco
— @MercMColledge 12 February 2013
12:12pm
Long-time opponent Sally Jones tells Mercury: "This will kill the town." #BridgwaterTesco
— @MercMColledge 12 February 2013
12:08pm
12:01pm Tue 12 Feb 13
artful280 says
Theres a surprise, This was a done deal a long time ago.There was no real chance of stopping it or making Tesco amend its plans significantly. The Council needs the money for the new pool and thats that.
12:05pm
The vote goes 8-3 Tesco's way. Disgruntled members of the public stream out of SDC's offices. #BridgwaterTesco
— @MercMColledge 12 February 2013
12:01pm
#Bridgwatertesco Plans approved. No surprises there. Cllrs weren't likely to say no to a major company - they never do :-)
— @BabbleBrooks 12 February 2013
11:59am
11:57am Tue 12 Feb 13
RustyKnight says
R.I.P Bridgwater Town Centre
11:58am
NOW the application has been approved, Tesco bosses still have to sweat over the outcome of an application to give the Brewery Field site 'town green' status - see here for details.
11:53am
COUNCILLORS have voted 8-3 in favour of building a Tesco store in Bridgwater.
11:40am
Most Cllrs sitting on the fence for now. Mike Mansfield (Highbridge) an exception. "I'll certainly be voting against" #BridgwaterTesco
— @MercMColledge 12 February 2013
11:16am
Speeches done. Planning committee members now having their say. Lots of talk about access, particularly lorries. #BridgwaterTesco
— @MercMColledge 12 February 2013
11:15am
Melanie Chiswell: "This is about encouraging people to spend time and money in the town and creating jobs." #BridgwaterTesco
— @MercMColledge 12 February 2013
MC: "This is not just about Tesco. Other 7 units will contribute to how the town is perceived." #BridgwaterTesco
— @MercMColledge 12 February 2013
MC on Brewery Field: "We'll create public open space enjoyed by everybody. We stand by commitment to keep BF for public." #BridgwaterTesco
— @MercMColledge 12 February 2013
11:01am
If we don't let Tesco use the waste land, no one will-until someone builds a giant block of flats. #betterthanflats #ELH #bridgwatertesco
— @chill1227 12 February 2013
11:01am
Melanie Chiswell next up. She's corporate affairs manager for Tesco in the South West #BridgwaterTesco
— @MercMColledge 12 February 2013
11:01am
Bridgwater town clerk Alan Hurford also speaks against, on behalf of town council. #BridgwaterTesco
— @MercMColledge 12 February 2013
10:49am
Labour councillors Mick Lerry, Brian Smedley, Kathy Pearce and Julian Taylor all speak against, to public applause. #BridgwaterTesco
— @MercMColledge 12 February 2013
Cllrs Smedley and Taylor say Tesco will simply move jobs around town, not create more. #BridgwaterTesco
— @MercMColledge 12 February 2013
10:43am
Nick Gibson: "Tesco will bring blight and degradation. Idea shoppers will come from across county to Tesco is crazy." #BridgwaterTesco
— @MercMColledge 12 February 2013
10:36am
David Preece: "Bridgwater is growing and Tesco will provide jobs and shopper choice needed to stop town falling behind." #BridgwaterTesco
— @MercMColledge 12 February 2013
10:28am
Speeches have begun. So far we've had resident David Preece in favour and Nick Gibson against. #BridgwaterTesco
— @MercMColledge 12 February 2013
10:23am
Can't wait 4 the bargains and to get rid of part of dog mess field #bridgwatertesco
— @daghornleghorn 12 February 2013
10:12am
The benefits outweigh the negatives, hurry up and get it built #bridgwatertesco
— @RedRed_Rob 12 February 2013
10:07am
Bemused laughter from the watching public as planning officer Rebecca Miller says Tesco store "would not be overbearing" #BridgwaterTesco
— @MercMColledge 12 February 2013
And more laughter when she says plans "would not harm existing highway network" #BridgwaterTesco
— @MercMColledge 12 February 2013
9:59am
Nick Tait, SDC planning policy manager, says Northgate key for retail. Bridgwater leaking shoppers to Taunton and Weston #BridgwaterTesco
— @MercMColledge 12 February 2013
9:43am
Tesco meeting about to begin. Decent turnout with 50 or so members of the public watching events. #BridgwaterTesco
— @MercMColledge 12 February 2013
8:56am
HOW the proposed Tesco Extra store might look if permission is granted by Sedgemoor District Council.
8:54am
THIS morning's meeting takes place in the Sedgemoor Room of Bridgwater House, in King Square, Bridgwater.
The meeting begins at 9.30am and it is expected that opponents to the proposal will be in attendance to show their strength of feeling against the plan.
8:50am
USE the Twitter hashtag #bridgwatertesco to get involved and have your say on the planning application - your Tweets will automatically appear at the foot of this live article.
8:48am
THE councillors who sit on the Sedgemoor District Council planning committee - and will decide on the Tesco application - are: Bob Filmer (Chairman), Dennis Davey (Deputy Chairman), Tony Grimes, Derek Alder, Dawn Hill, Alan Bradford, Neville Jones OBE, Michael Caswell, David Loveridge, Peter Downing, Mike Mansfield, Alex Glassford, Ken Richards, Graham Granter and Ken Smout.
8:33am
Tesco meeting coming up in one hour. I'll be tweeting updates #bridgwatertesco
— @MercMColledge 12 February 2013
8:32am
Latest Bridgwater Tesco Tweets
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Comments(36)
RustyKnight
says...
11:41am Tue 12 Feb 13
Look at the plans, its going on the old Enterprise site NOT the Splash site.
RustyKnight
says...
11:57am Tue 12 Feb 13
RustyKnight
says...
11:57am Tue 12 Feb 13
artful280
says...
12:01pm Tue 12 Feb 13
Dr. Lewis Beltgun
says...
12:53pm Tue 12 Feb 13
scally666
says...
12:53pm Tue 12 Feb 13
as for rip bridgwater town centre
that started when Tesco & M&S left
now at least Tesco are coming back
grisleyreg
says...
1:04pm Tue 12 Feb 13
swjoduk
says...
1:30pm Tue 12 Feb 13
Someone needs to tell Barbara that this is not any Tesco, this is an Extra with the closest Extra stores situated in Yeovil, Exeter and Bristol.
I can very well imagine people from Taunton, Minehead, Burnham and Weston travelling to Bridgwater to shop there.
I myself have travelled to the Yeovil and Exeter Vale Tesco Extra's specifically as they have a far greater range of non food items.
Maybe these visitors will then pop into our town centre to visit one of the many discount stores, food outlets, phone shops, estate agents or charity shops.....or perhaps not. The town centre is nothing to shout about, Tesco cannot make it any worse!
In fact do away with half the shops, replace them with nice clean restaurants to match Prezzo e.g. Bella Italia, Nandos, Wagamamas, La Tasca, Cafe Rouge, that kinda thing plus more bakeries, sandwich shops, delicatessens etc and small independant shops. Then it would be a vast improvement.
People could get what they need from Tesco, other supermarkets and out of town retail and then get something nice to eat or something specialized which cant be found elsewhere.
milkwasabadchoice
says...
2:10pm Tue 12 Feb 13
swjoduk wrote:I am from Taunton. Although I think the new Tesco is a very good thing for Bridgwater - which is very much a town on the up, I find it quite unlikely that people will be flooding in from Taunton.
#bridgwatertesco As if Bridgwater needs another supermarket and as for people travelling to use it tesco's are in every town in Somerset
Someone needs to tell Barbara that this is not any Tesco, this is an Extra with the closest Extra stores situated in Yeovil, Exeter and Bristol.
I can very well imagine people from Taunton, Minehead, Burnham and Weston travelling to Bridgwater to shop there.
I myself have travelled to the Yeovil and Exeter Vale Tesco Extra's specifically as they have a far greater range of non food items.
Maybe these visitors will then pop into our town centre to visit one of the many discount stores, food outlets, phone shops, estate agents or charity shops.....or perhaps not. The town centre is nothing to shout about, Tesco cannot make it any worse!
In fact do away with half the shops, replace them with nice clean restaurants to match Prezzo e.g. Bella Italia, Nandos, Wagamamas, La Tasca, Cafe Rouge, that kinda thing plus more bakeries, sandwich shops, delicatessens etc and small independant shops. Then it would be a vast improvement.
People could get what they need from Tesco, other supermarkets and out of town retail and then get something nice to eat or something specialized which cant be found elsewhere.
andyr45
says...
2:23pm Tue 12 Feb 13
cidreman
says...
2:53pm Tue 12 Feb 13
The Town Cllrs The Labour ones and Town Clerk are all against it ..
Maybe its about time The Town residents held a Ballot do we need a Town Council because who do they represent ...
The Tesco Store will be used once built by Bridgwater residents who live in each of these Cllrs Wards within the Town
Cllr Smedley and Co you didnt ask us the voters our views ..when you voted no
Blue Owl
says...
3:00pm Tue 12 Feb 13
Perhaps now other quality retailers will think to invest in the Town Centre, as I said @ the Commitee, We have experienced growth in both housing and new job creation, over the last 10 years, the Population of our Town and the surrounding area, is around 50,000
With, a further influx, if EDF gets it's Planning Consent, in the Spring,of up to another 25,000 workers and Commutors, within a 90 min travel time to EDF Hinkley C.
Well done SDC, Planning Panel for making the right decision.
Regards David Preece Aka Blue-Owl.
cidreman
says...
3:22pm Tue 12 Feb 13
Vote 8 --3 in favour
How did the vote pan-out ...who voted no etc .
grisleyreg
says...
4:16pm Tue 12 Feb 13
swjoduk
says...
5:12pm Tue 12 Feb 13
Any idea Blue Owl as this will cut through your neck of the words I believe and was this not your ex ward?
Until this road is constructed there will not be any improvement in the Taunton Rd traffic and it will only get worse if Hinkley goes ahead.
Waterway
says...
6:05pm Tue 12 Feb 13
Samej1
says...
7:54pm Tue 12 Feb 13
Doverbeme
says...
7:58pm Tue 12 Feb 13
Not too fussed about the application being granted, but some of the rubbish people came out with at was laughable:
"This is good for other shops in the town" was a comment by one of the members of the planning committee.
"I've never shopped in Bridgwater, but..." by another.
The guy speaking against who seemed to Over-Emphasize every Other word....
"I used to live in North Petherton, and always shopped in Taunton. If there had been a Tescos in Bridgwater then..." by the Tescos woman.
And the amount of time spent debating the fate of 2 trees...
Doverbeme
says...
8:07pm Tue 12 Feb 13
RustyKnight
says...
8:19pm Tue 12 Feb 13
In a few years time when all the small independent stores in Bridgwater have gone and the novelty of Tesco Extra has worn off what is your next wonderful plan of action to improve Bridgwater Town Centre?
Or don't you care because by then you'll have got fed up and moved to another town to ruin!
frags27
says...
8:57pm Tue 12 Feb 13
If they cared the town wouldn't have the traffic it has now, the town center would have been saved years ago before it is what it is now and we wouldn't have waited 4+ years plus how ever many years to get back a swimming pool which is really the Lido with a roof on it. Even now its going to be at a School when most people won't know where it is with very high expenses to even swim. Especially with a couple of kids.
Yep Tesco's will create new jobs, and lets see which one of the budget supermarkets goes because it cannot compete, take your pick out of these I have my mystic meg head on, Aldi, Lidl, Iceland, Farmfoods, Co-op, they aren't all going to stay here in lets say 2 years after Tesco is built. So yep jobs in the first place more, then less as time goes by and other places shut. Say goodbye to Currys and Argos as well as Tesco Extra sales more Electrical goods, I won't mention the actual town center as that will stay as it is, just with more of the same takeaways, estate agents. Best thing to do is bulldoze the whole town center and start again, but hey that will not happen because its what the people want and we the Council don't listen to the people.
Cribbs for me and Clarks Village all the way, use Clarks Village as an example of what can be achieved and learn from it. Even quality restaurant's like Frankie & Benny's have opened which would have been one avenue that Bridgwater could have been known for and put us on the map. One thing Taunton doesn't have, but no chance of that no TGI, Bella Pasta like other Town's have. Born in this Town all my life and its really time the people were listened to that have lived here not the people who are supposed to represent us. I'm not into Bridgwater Forwards/Backwards or whatever they are called just my only opinion having lived 39 years here.
BaldCarl2
says...
2:42am Wed 13 Feb 13
However, I am confused, there were 15 councillors, 8 voted for, 3 voted against. What did the other 4 do?
Surely, they have a public duty to decide one way or another - it's what we pay them to do.
cidreman
says...
8:56am Wed 13 Feb 13
How did these Cllrs Vote ...dont we all have a right to know , The Labour ward Cllrs where the store is being built said No ...but what about the other Labour Cllrs ....can you tell us Blue -Owl
AP9
says...
10:41am Wed 13 Feb 13
I have not seen any confirmation of this but if its true it makes a bit of a mockery of the town council's opposition doesn't it?
Does anyone know exactly who voted which way?
JOGLE08
says...
10:48am Wed 13 Feb 13
AP9 wrote:Just goes to prove you can't believe anything they say if this is true!!
Apparently one labour cllr voted for the application being granted and one other, who just happens to be the Mayor, abstained which is as good as voting for in fairness surely? I have not seen any confirmation of this but if its true it makes a bit of a mockery of the town council's opposition doesn't it? Does anyone know exactly who voted which way?
swjoduk
says...
1:15pm Wed 13 Feb 13
BaldCarl2 wrote:I think the Councillors who cover that ward cannot vote?
Personally, I couldn't care less if it gets built or not. However, I am confused, there were 15 councillors, 8 voted for, 3 voted against. What did the other 4 do? Surely, they have a public duty to decide one way or another - it's what we pay them to do.
Blue Owl surely knows?
cidreman
says...
2:08pm Wed 13 Feb 13
Or Cllr Smedley can you tell us how your Labour Cllrs voted .
BaldCarl2
says...
7:48pm Wed 13 Feb 13
Otherwise, what's the point of this so called democracy?
cidreman
says...
9:22am Thu 14 Feb 13
Everything decided for Bridgwater by SDC
Now after months and months of meetings ...the vote for Tescos arrives , and after the Labour Group saying that all their Cllrs were against it ...one of them votes in favour of the Tesco built .and another doesnt vote at all .
How can the Labour Group continue to be allowed to Run the Bridgwater Town Council ...they have lost their credibility and respect ...how can any voter trust their Labour ward Cllr again
Bridgy old Boy
says...
11:16pm Sun 17 Feb 13
windswept and interesting
says...
10:24am Mon 18 Feb 13
Bridgy old Boy wrote:Wasn't so long ago they were at each others throats...whats all that about ?
I have reached the conclusion that Blue Fowl and Cidreman must belong to the same lodge either that or they are joined at the hip they couldn't be closer if they were identical twins. I really would recommend developing a life outside this forum and maybe get some treatment for those obsessions.
Cyborgigy
says...
1:16pm Mon 18 Feb 13
windswept and interesting
says...
7:00pm Mon 18 Feb 13
Cyborgigy wrote:mmmmm...nobody's stepped forward ?
Those who do not shop or buy the cheap fuel at any of the current large supermarkets please take one step forward. You can now hold your hand on your heart and make a truly moral stance. Otherwise, live with what you have brought upon yourselves. If people didn't shop at large supermarkets, no matter which one you use, then they would stop coming......
bts73
says...
3:13am Tue 19 Feb 13
bts73
says...
3:15am Tue 19 Feb 13
grisleyreg says...
10:19am Tue 12 Feb 13