Maggie, Maggie, Maggie! In, in , in!

by Christine McLaughlin
Last night I watched Margaret Westbrook make an excellent impression at a question and answer session for all of Stretford and Urmston's parliamentary candidates at Shawe Hall, Flixton.  The evening had been organised by a prayer group who felt angry about the main parties' increasing alienation from ordinary people.  It was a useful opportunity to hear what the other candidates had to say for themselves.  Besides Margaret there were five others:

Smooth-talking Steve Cooke for the Lib Dems had obviously spent a long time swotting up on his own party's policies (well, I assume this is the case; I had forgotten the Lib Dems existed until last night so I cannot say how accurate he was) but made himself look a tad foolish when he incorrectly claimed the Green Party had a policy of 'telling you you can only have one child' and comparing us to the Chinese government!  This  crass remark made the audience wonder whether there was any substance behind his style and I'm afraid the answer's probably not. 
Stephen Farnham for UKIP was standing in for the party's actual candidate who was too busy to come and talk to the electorate (still at least he wasn't in prison like this UKIP MEP).  I loved listening to Stephen: some would call his performance faltering, others would say quirky, but either way his offerings to the discussion provided welcome comic relief.  When asked what his party had done for the environment, Stephen replied, "I put my recycling bins out when required."  Knowing me, Stephen Farnham, Knowing you the electorate.  Aha.
Mega Tesco fan Alex Williams had quite a few things to say, I'm sure, but I'm afraid I kept drifting off whenever he spoke, indeed at one point I was shocked to realise I had inadvertently applauded something he had said which I hadn't listened to.  It's probably a key Tory strategy these days: bore the electorate into a stupor and they might vote for you by accident.  There was a ripple of suppressed laughter, however, when Alex - who, by the way, lives in Hale, some 10 miles away from the site of the Mega Tesco development he eagerly supports - stated the need to 'build a manufacturing industry' in the UK.  Like the one your party systematically dismantled the last time they were in power, Alex? 
Labour's Kate Green came across as an assured political orator, having clearly attended the Gordon Brown School of Very Precise Enunciation.  She spoke of the need to invest in youth employment (well the war her party dragged us into certainly took a few youngsters out of the dole queue) and agreed with many of Margaret Westbrook's points about the need to campaign against the Mega Tesco in Gorse Hill and protect local businesses.  Just as I was warming to her, however, she made a massive blunder by claiming that inequalities had not risen under the current Labour administration.  Yes, the former chief executive of the Child Poverty Action Group, who describes herself on her own website as "a longstanding campaigner against poverty and inequality" claims that inequalities haven't increased under our current Labour government.
According to the Institute for Fiscal Studies, Kate's got her facts wrong:

So it is fair to say that youth unemployment and income inequality have risen under Labour, and that, on a very narrow, and potentially uninformative, measure, the incomes of households with the lowest incomes are now lower than they were in 1996-97. But, although the performance of the last Conservative government is not necessarily a guide to a potential future administration, the record on youth unemployment was no better, and on poverty and inequality considerably worse, in the Thatcher and Major administrations than under Blair and Brown.

Is the Institute for Fiscal Studies in some way biased?  Not according to Kate's leader, Gordon Brown:

"As every government finds sometimes to its cost, [IFS is] an institution that is rigorous in research, proudly impartial and objective in analysis, forward-looking in the causes it adopts and fiercely independent - yielding to no-one, friend or foe, on its way."

Alongside the above assortment of political desperados, Margaret Westbrook could only be described as the voice of reason.  Margaret spoke about her work in the community, having helped set up a family centre in Partington, working with vulnerable people at the Citizens Advice Bureau for many years,  campaigning to improve Longford Park and championing local businesses as a principal campaigner in the fight against the Mega Tesco threatened to engulf Gorse Hill and Stretford.  She explained various innovative Green Party policies, including the Green New Deal, the Robin Hood tax and the non-means tested Citizen's Pension of £170 per week. 
More details of Green Party policy can be found here and more about Margaret here.  You can find out more about Trafford Green Party here and follow Margaret on Twitter. 
Finally, we'll be knocking on doors and canvassing support in neighbourhood centres across Stretford and Urmston, so if you see us, please stop and answer our 2 minute survey.  And if you care about the planet, about social justice and about local communities, please vote Green.

No Mega Tesco: the Planning Committee Approaches

A letter to Mike Morris of GONW (Government Office of the North West) from Trafford Green Party member Anne Power:

Dear Mr Morris
I write to draw your attention to a planning application ref:74393/FULL/2009. The application by Lancashire County Cricket Club and Tesco Ltd. seeks part full/part outline permission for redevelopment of Old Trafford Cricket Ground and the erection of a food superstore. It is the latter half of this description, for a large superstore of approximately 166,847 sq ft, that is the subject of my concern and therefore I am writing to request that GONW call in the application for consideration by the Secretary of State.
I live in Stretford. only one road away from the most delightful urban village of Chorlton cum Hardy where I am known by name wherever I shop. I chose to live in Chorlton when I came in 1998 as it is multi-cultural, not too "smart", not super rich and very friendly. I lived in Tooting in SW London for many years where the atmosphere was similar.
The biggest drawback here is the football traffic and if this gigantic Tescos is built the traffic will be congested 24 hours a day 7 days a week. At least I can arrange to dodge the match times. I am now disabled and need to use my car more than public transport which I regret but have no choice about. But as a pedestrian and resident the noise and pollution will be horrific, to say nothing of the fact that this"development" conflicts with national planning policy on important matters.
The proposals are contrary to both the provisions of Trafford's adopted UDP and the recently adopted Planning Policy Statement 4. As you may be aware, in 2006 a Planning Inspector upheld Trafford Council's decision to refuse to grant Tesco Ltd permission to build a store of 88,000 sq ft on this site on the basis of concerns over the impact of the proposals on town, district and local centres. Tesco Ltd already has permission to build a smaller store on the site (48,000 sq ft), granted approximately 5 years ago, which it has chosen not to implement. The current proposal will be 3.4 times larger and it is inconceivable that it would not have a significant and detrimental impact both within Trafford and in neighbouring boroughs.
The damage caused to smaller shops and existing centres by a store of this size will extend for several miles from the proposed site. Tesco states it aims to draw customers from within a 10 minute drive catchment area. For those with their own transport this covers Stretford, Chorlton, Sale, Whalley Range, Urmston, Salford, the city centre, and possibly Altrincham too.
For those without their own transport, links to this site are significantly over stated in the planning application and compare very poorly with Stretford town centre which is one of several centres that are already struggling and could suffer further if this store goes ahead. In no way can this development meet the 'town centre first principle' of PPS4 and it can only have a detrimental impact upon my local community, both in terms of the loss of local shops and increased traffic congestion.
I would be very grateful if you both acknowledge receipt of this email and keep me updated in respect of Government Office North West's involvement in this matter.
Yours sincerely,
Anne Power
You can email  Mike Morris at michael.morris@gonw.gsi.gov.uk ahead of the Planning Committee meeting tomorrow, Thursday 11th March 2010, and join the No Mega Tesco campaigners outside of Trafford Town Hall at 5.30pm tomorrow.

The Waiting Game

by Christine McLaughlin

The NoMegaTesco in Stretford campaign has caught the attention of various media outlets. Campaigners are waiting for Tesco's planning application, which appears to have been delayed.

Following a well attended demo at the town hall last week, the campaign was prominently featured in the Manchester Evening News, the Stretford and Urmston Messenger and the Trafford Metro News.

BBC Radio Manchester interviewed the campaign's Laura Harris (scroll to 5 minutes 35 seconds in), whilst Channel M interviewed Margaret Westbrook. The campaign was also featured on The Politics Show (feature starts 33 mins, 30 seconds in)and North West tonight (feature starts 12 minutes 50 seconds in).

You can find the group on Facebook but do check the campaign website for regular updates.

Once the planning application is received we will have three weeks to object to the proposals. Objections will mainly take the form of letters to the council's planning department, setting out exactly why this development is not welcome in Streford.

The Campaign Gets off the Ground

by Margaret Westbrook

Last night’s meeting of the No MegaTesco campaign was quite well attended with different offers of help! We understand Tesco’s Planning Application is likely to arrive this Thursday and so time is short! We have set up some working groups in order to present a co-ordinated front to the public and to start the research for our submission.

Our next general working group will be on Monday 19th at 7.30pm in Gorse Hill – venue yet to be confirmed. Everyone who wants to join the campaign iis welcome.

We need:

Offers of money for the campaign.
Those with time to deliver leaflets to parades of shops and streets.
Everyone to talk to neighbours and friends about the campaign.
Signatures on the petition.
As many people as possible to write individual letters of objection; once
the application is received and we know the details there will be pointers
for you on our blog.

KEEP INFORMED! GET INVOLVED!
See http://NoMegaTesco.blogspot.com or contact Margaret on 0161 865 6064

No Mega Tesco Working Group

by Christine McLaughlin

It seems that everyone I meet this week has a story to tell me about Tesco. A teacher friend of mine is worried about her job because Salford Council are talking about closing down her school in order to build a new academy and make way for Tesco. Sounds familiar?

Her sister, who lives in Walkden, is dealing with the news that Tesco want to replace the duck pond her house overlooks with a carpark extension. The duck pond is part of a green space used by local kids for games, sports and generally running around, so I hope Salford Council have their best interests at heart when they consider Tesco's application for planning.

And a young person I was talking to last week was telling me her father's shoe repair shop is being demolished this week due to a Tesco development in south Manchester. The family are probably going to have to move down south in the middle of her GCSE year.

The campaign against the Mega-Tesco in Gorse Hill has attracted some press attention this week. Following last week's public meeting, the proposed development was front page news in the Stretford and Urmston Messenger and Trafford Metro News.

The first meeting of the Working Group is tomorrow on 5th October at 7.30pm at Gorse Hill United Church -entrance on Wesley Street just off A56/ Chester Road in Gorse Hill, postcode M32 0GL. It's open to everyone who wants to take part in the campaign against the Mega-Tesco in Gorse Hill. Please come along and contact us if you need more information. There is also a campaign website here.

It's important to keep checking the campaign website for updates: once the application for planning goes in we will have only three weeks to make our dissent known.

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.

No Mega Tesco at Old Trafford

by Christine McLaughlin
Trafford Greens are totally opposed to the grotesquely over-sized supermarket development proposed by Tesco at Old Trafford. Joining forces with community and campaign groups we plan to collaborate on a dynamic campaign against the mega Tesco and challenge the council to cultivate a vibrant neighbourhood centre for the benefit of local people rather than supermarket moguls.

The cyber-hub of the campaign is here.

Please have a look, leave comments and volunteer your support if you can. It's not going to be easy, but if we win this fight we'll be making a massive difference to the future Old Trafford community.