Battle to build superstore hots up

Last week Sainsbury's, which has permission for a store and leisure facilities, put on an exhibition for local residents to remind them of its plans.

And Tesco, whose plans are due to go before Worcester City Council in June, cranked up its publicity campaign by taking out a full page advert outlining its proposals in the Evening News.

Both schemes have faced huge opposition from local residents - some who do not want a large supermarket on their doorstep.

Opponents have also been concerned about the level of traffic a store would bring to the area and the impact it would have on traders in St John's.

Tesco's plans to build on the site of Christopher Whitehead School and pay for a new state-of-the-art school to be built outside the city boundary has proved particularly controversial.

Earlier this year, Tesco challenged the Local Plan - the city's blueprint for future development - which earmarked the Sainsbury's site for a food store.

The firm tried to persuade an independent planning inspector that criteria for a store in St John's should be laid down in the plan but that a specific site should not be earmarked.

This, it claimed, would create a level playing field for both proposals to be compared.

The inspector is not expected to make a decision on the Local Plan until December 2003 and so the St John's supermarket saga, which has run for years, looks set to rumble on.

Here, reporter Lauren Cumming outlines the two proposals and what they mean for St John's.

Firm is aiming for land it needs

"WE have not gone away" was the message from Sainsbury's to the people of St John's.

The firm won planning permission to build a new 26,000ft store following a public inquiry in November 2001.

Since then it has been working behind the scenes to buy up all the land it needs for the scheme.

"We have got land assembly to complete," said Kevin Macmillan, head of acquisitions for Sainsbury's.

"That could be simple, or it could be protracted. It's difficult to give a timetable, but delivery of the scheme could be 18 to 24 months away.

"We are working very hard with Worcester City Council."

In the meantime, fearing that residents would think that it had gone away, Sainsbury's held an exhibition of its plans in the car park of St John's with Bedwardine Church.

In the meantime, fearing that residents would think that it had gone away, Sainsbury's held an exhibition of its plans in the car park of St John's with Bedwardine Church.

"The idea was to refresh people's memories because this has been going on for some time," Mr Macmillan said.

"It seemed like an opportune moment to remind people about the scheme and also give them a chance to come in and make comments."

Sainsbury's has planning permission to build a 26,000 sq ft store - which would create 250 new jobs - with a 218-space car park on land at Swanpool Walk.

The scheme involves building on land occupied by St John's sports centre and the firm also has planning permission to build replacement facilities, including a new sports centre, youth centre and all-weather pitch next to Christopher Whitehead School, on Malvern Road.

Sainsbury's will also provide three new retail units, pedestrian links to St John's and Malvern Road, improvements to footpaths, a toucan crossing at Bromwich Road and new traffic lights at the junction of St John's and Malvern Road.

Timetable

January 1999: Evening News reveals that Sainsbury's plans to bulldoze St John's sports centre to make way for a food store.

October 1999: Sainsbury's submits plans to Worcester city council's planning department.

February 2001: Scheme to demolish Christopher Whitehead School to make way for Tesco store and build a new school on the outskirts of Worcester cautiously welcomed by Worcestershire County Councillors.

March 2001: Worcester City Council rejects Sainsbury's planning application.

June 2001: Sainsbury's submits a fresh application and lodges an appeal against the first refusal.

July 2001: Tesco wins contract with Worcestershire County Council to re-develop the school site.

October 2001: Revised plans for Sainsbury's are rejected by the city council.

November 2001: Five-day public inquiry takes place to hear Sainsbury's appeal against the city council's refusal to grant planning permission.

January 2002: Government planning inspector gives Sainsbury's the go-ahead in principal, stating that a case had been made for another supermarket in St John's.

June 2002: City council warns county council that plans to move the school contravenes planning policy.

October 2002: Evening News reveals that Tesco has withdrawn its application ahead of planning meeting because city planners had recommended refusal.

November 2002: Worcester City Council cabinet member, Councillor Simon Geraghty, announces plans for a compulsory purchase order to scupper Tesco plans and pave the way for Sainsbury's. His plans win the support of the planning committee and the full council.

February 2003: Tesco submits fresh plans for St John's store.

March 2003: Tesco challenges the Local Plan, which earmarks Sainsbury's site for a food store. Independent planning inspector expected to publish his report in December.

April 2003: Worcestershire County Council's planning and regulatory committee backs Tesco planning application when asked to comment as part of consultation process.

May 2003: Evening News reports that Tesco planning application is due to go before Worcester City Council in June.

THE Evening News spoke to residents in St John's to find out what they thought of the store wars.

Jacqui Bradley, of Hallow, said she would like to see Tesco given planning permission.

"I prefer Tesco because it will have the best parking," said the 42-year-old dinner lady at Grimley and Holt Primary School.

"It doesn't matter about the school, it's best being an up-dated and modern school."

Delphine Hill, a part-time care worker from Powick, welcomed proposals for Tesco or Sainsbury's.

"I would like to see a larger superstore here," she said.

Mrs Hill, aged 28, said her husband, Basil, and her children Adrian and Cathryn, had all been pupils of Christopher Whitehead High School.

"I don't agree with the school going as it has been there for a long time," she said.

But many St John's resident's said they did not want to see any supermarket development in St John's.

Peter Tilsley, a former teacher training and psychology lecturer at University College Worcester, did not see the need for either store.

"It won't serve the need of St John's - it will serve the need of Sainsbury's or Tesco," said the 65-year-old, who has lived in St John's for 25 years.

"It's like a game of monopoly where you acquire more stores but for the sheer prestige as having as many as possible. St John's is a tiny trophy - it's about maximising market share and presence."

Sharon Reeves, of St John's, said she was concerned that lorry traffic would increase if either superstore was built.

"I don't prefer either supermarket and St John's shouldn't be changed," said the 32-year-old mother-of-two.

"We already have plenty of supermarkets in Worcester.

"I don't mind about the school being moved because too many schoolchildren congregate round here."

Mrs Reeves' mother Ann Jones, who has lived in St John's all her life, said she would not use either supermarket.

"I was a pupil at Christopher Whitehead High School and I wouldn't like to see it go," said the 57-year-old. "It won't be the same if it's moved."

Company looks to answer concerns

TESCO believes its scheme, due to go before Worcester City Council next month, will provide wider benefits for the people of St John's.

At 35,750sq ft, its proposed store is bigger than Sainsbury's and would be built on the site occupied by Christopher Whitehead School.

Its plans also include a 399-space car park, a petrol station and land for housing.

As part of its scheme, Tesco has committed itself to upgrading St John's Sports Centre and improving pedestrian links and cycle ways in the area.

Richard Petrie, Tesco corporate affairs manager, said the store would create up to 380 jobs and would benefit traders by bringing shoppers into St John's.

"St John's district centre now has the chance to become a vibrant shopping facility, creating a better economic environment for the currently vacant properties to be brought back to life," he said.

In an attempt to answer some of the residents' concerns about the amount of additional traffic that a large food store would generate, the firm has also included a new link road.

Tesco believes the road would improve traffic circulation and keep its delivery vehicles out of the centre of St John's.

But one of the biggest problems it faces is the local and city council opposition to moving Christopher Whitehead School out of St John's.

If Tesco's scheme wins through, the firm would sign a multi-million pound cheque for a new state-of-the-art school to be built at Earl's Court Farm, west of Dines Green.

The firm has come through a tendering process to bring plans forward to redevelop the school site.

Worcestershire County Council's cabinet member for education, Councillor June Longmuir, believes Worcester should not pass the opportunity to have a brand new school built for free.

"It's an area that is expanding in numbers anyway and so we want to increase the size of the school," she said.

"In 10 years' time, if we don't do something about it now, we'll need another school and at somebody's cost. At the moment, we're getting it at the cost of a supermarket."

TESCO'S planning application at a glance:

A new 35,750sq ft store, with a 399-space car park, on the site of Christopher Whitehead School, which will create up to 380 new jobs.

The firm would pay for a new multi-million pound, state-of-the art school to be built at Earl's Court Farm, west of Dines Green.

Plans also include a petrol filling station and land for housing.

St John's Sports Centre, on Swanpool Walk, would be upgraded and the existing tennis courts and all-weather pitch would both be retained.

A new link road would be created between Bromwich Road and Malvern Road, designed to minimise traffic impact on St John's district centre.

Pedestrian links between the store and St John's would be also improved.

SAINSBURY'S approved plans at a glance:

A new 26,000sq ft store, with a 218-space car park and recycling facilities, on land at Swanpool Walk, which will create up to 250 new jobs.

St John's Sports Centre will be demolished to make way for the store but a new replacement sports centre will be built in Malvern Road. An all-weather pitch will also be relocated.

Plans also include a new youth centre at 19/21 St John's, and three new retail units.

New pedestrian links will be created from the store to St John's and Malvern Road and footpaths improved. There will also be a toucan crossing at Bromwich Road and new traffic lights at the junction of St John's and Malvern Road.

The plans do not require the relocation of Christopher Whitehead School.