At West Durrington near Worthing, West Sussex, TESCO have started major archaelogical digging (ie stripping the first few feet of topsoil) despite still not having full planning permission for the project. We need to get in contact with people who are interested in opposing this.
Although TESCO's plans to develop the site at West Durrington (right next to an already existing TESCO which they will then knock down) have not yet been approved by the council, they have begun work already. The whole area has been fenced off and they have stripped about 3-5 feet of topsoil. They have security with two dogs hired to keep an eye on things. These "archaelogical diggings" are apparently going to continue for the next week and we just have to see what they will do after that. Whether they will start work immediately or wait until the planning is completely approved remains to be seen. The final planning meeting is scheduled for the 30th of July, so it is important to get any objections in before that date.
Would be good to see people down at Titnore woods soon to discuss these issues as the time is swiftly ticking on... Its difficult for us to see at the moment what we can actually do about it but hopefully with more input and ideas we can expand our angles.
Also we are holding a kids day/open day on Saturday the 25th of July (check the events page for more info) where we hope to have an open forum to discuss what can be done to oppose the development.
Check www.protectourwoodland.co.uk for more info, especially on how to send objections etc. Hopefully on the open day we'll have some information on all that stuff as well.
Thanks for reading, down with the supermarket culture that has us all in its grip!
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Where to send your letter
18.07.2009 08:28
There's no need to use all the reasons - 3 is enough and if possible use your own words.
Remember to add your name and postal address.
To:
Paul Pennicott
Development Control Manager
Portland House
Richmond Road
Worthing.
Dear Sir.
WB/09/0146/ARM Tesco Supermarket.
Please accept this letter as my formal objection to the above application.
Amongst my reasons for objecting are the following:
1. Durrington doesn't need a store of this size. An extension to the existing one, as approved on WB/04/00686/FULL, is all that's needed.
2. Worthing town centre is slowly dying. The last thing it needs after the parking grief and credit crunch is a Tesco Extra with free parking only 4 miles away to attract what's left of the shoppers.
3. Government policy is to achieve a reduction in Co2 emissions. This store will encourage shoppers to make longer journeys by car thus increasing emissions.
4. The size of the store will attract extra traffic into a residential area already suffering from to much traffic.
5. The store will be built in a Greenfield location. This location forms part of an area of high conservation value.
6. The area is prone to flooding and should remain undeveloped and left to act as a natural soak-away..
7. The area is of high cultural history importance being the possible site of a Roman Villa and the most likely area for the Roman settlement and road.
8. The development is in conflict with Government objectives of reducing road traffic as required by the Traffic Reduction Act. Even at present levels, traffic is giving residents in Durrington grief; any further increase is completely out of the question.
9. The visual impact of the supermarket when viewed from the South Down National Park only half a miles is a disgrace. It is totally inappropriate for an area of such high cultural history importance and landscape value.
10. As the store will operate 24hrs a day and is accessed via roads that pass through residential areas, residents will get very little sleep and suffer lost of peace and quiet and amenity.
11. As the existing petrol station will nearly double in size and is already a pollution hot spot, the increased health risks are unacceptable.
12.As the planning of the Tesco Extra store and the West Durrington Urban Extension were uncoordinated this has created muddled access, design and public transport arrangements. The application should not be approved until a sustainable mobility and natural environment policy has been worked out.
13. The location of the store makes it difficult for shoppers on foot to access it compared to the existing store. From properties to the east, shoppers carrying heavy bags will have an extra 200 meters to walk and this mostly through maneuvering vehicles in the car park or face an illogical bus journey.
14. Since the development control committee granted outline planning approval, subject to reserved matters, in March 2006 much has changed. The government have introduced stricter legislation on Co2 emissions, building regulations, flood prevention, environmental protection, noise, transport etc. That 2006 and the subsequent planning decision should be withdrawn and Tesco submit a fresh application if they want to proceed.
15. Titnore Lane and Titnore Way are not suitable for the dozens of maximum weight lorries that will be delivering construction materials each day to the building sites for probably 5 years.
16. Titnore Way is a residential street and not suitable for Tesco maximum weight juggernauts to rumble past day and night.
17. My property will back on to this new Tesco and I'm very concerned to hear that the exhaust from their heat and power generator will be working day and night. I know due to my work that these plants emit poisonous fumes and irritating deep monotonous hum.
18. I'm sure if the councilors who had approved the outline permission, subject to reserved matters, in March 2006 had known of the vast numbers of juggernauts that would be using Titnore Lane and Titnore Way for five years during construction work on the 2 sites, they might well have opposed the application. That outline permission must be set-aside and the application process restarted.
titnore penpal
Homepage:
http://www.protectourwoodland.co.uk/tesco1.htm