Meeting Against the Mega Tesco: Monday 28th September 2009

by Christine McLaughlin

I just got back from a fairly animated meeting against the proposed Mega Tesco in Gorse Hill, chaired by Margaret Westbrook. Most of the people in attendance had come from the immediate locality, but there were also quite a few people from Old Trafford and Stretford, plus the odd Chorltonian and one Urmstonian (me!).

Tesco's application for planning permission is expected to be submitted by the end of next week. There will follow a three week consultation exercise, during which time we must make our objections known. As Debbie Clarkefrom the Unicorn Grocery pointed out, no one is going to ask us our views, and consultation merely means the council is obliged to put up notices around the site of the proposed development as well as advertising the application in the local press.

Bernie from Kirkby Residents Action Group (KRAG)had quite a tale to tell about Tesco's bid to 'redevelop' Kirkby. He told us about arrogant councillors who failed to canvas the views of their constituents, MPs who 'couldn't remember' attending pivotal meetings and 500 residents turning out for a KRAG meeting to organise against the proposals to turn Kirby into a Tescopolis.

He told us about KRAG's vehicle convoy bringing the quiet Merseyside town to a standstill, about the public enquiry the government had initiated in July 2007 and about the massive cost of legal representation (KRAG was quoted £25,000: in the end they represented themselves).

He advised us that the best way to gather evidence for a public enquiry (although we are currently very far away from that) is letter writing, petitions and testimonials.

Knowsley Council had packaged a massive, centrally located Tesco and a new stadium for Everton with a capacity of 55,000 - in a town whose population numbers only 40,000 as a major regeneration opportunity for Kirkby. Tesco want to build their store on a greenbelt site that was previously earmarked for a new school, the building of which has been quietly shelved by Knowsley Council.

Education turned out to be a link between KRAG's campaign and ours, as it turns out that the land Tesco need to buy in order to build their 140,000 square foot store (that's nearly three times the size of Morrison's in Chorlton) is owned by Stretford High. The land is not for sale but Trafford Council are planning to close both Stretford High and Lostock College in order to build a new, £30 million Academy. As soon as Stretford High closes, the land reverts to the local authority who will then sell it off to Tesco.

It seems that Trafford Council want to give the money they receive from Tesco to Lancashire County Cricket Ground to redevelop the ground, without consulting local residents or looking into other avenues for funding. Whether they have chosen to gamble with the education of thousands of children in order to fulfil this objective, I cannot say.

Zoe Power of Trafford Green Party had done some research among local business people and reported that some were so anxious about the impact Tesco's development could have on their livelihood that they were already planning to sell up.

Debbie Clarke from the Unicorn Grocery had researched the area Tesco say they plan to serve (a ten minute radius by car) and had found that this would reach as far as Sale, Salford and the city centre. She pointed out that increased traffic would make every day like a match day in an already congested area. She reminded us that the council had turned down a planning application from Tesco for an 80,000 square foot store three years ago on the basis that it would have a detrimental effect on other retailers in areas such as Stretford, Chorlton and Hulme. She pointed out that National Planning Guidelines insist that our existing high streets should be protected and promoted, but that 50 small shops and businesses are closing every week. Tesco say they will bring 600 jobs to Gorse Hill but don't mention how many of these will be part time, minimum wage and insecurely contracted, nor how many jobs will be lost in the surrounding areas.

Finally we looked at how we could campaign. Margaret suggested we talk to as many people as possible; sign the petition; write individual letters of objection; attend the planning committee when the relevant meeting takes place and more immediately, attend for another meeting next Monday, 5th October at 7.30pm, again at Gorse Hill United Church -entrance on Wesley Street just off A56/ Chester Road in Gorse Hill, postcode M32 0GL. Everyone is welcome at this meeting to plan our campaign, so please come along and contact us for more information. Let's get going and show Tesco and Trafford Council we are in for the long haul.