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james73 · Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2008 2:26 pm Post subject:

Tesco wants second store at ‘Town’ site

TESCO wants to open another store in the West End of Glasgow - just 100 metres
from its proposed giant supermarket in Partick.

Plans for the retail giant's latest Express store, which could create up to
250 jobs, were revealed on the first day of a public inquiry into so-called
Tesco Town.'

Tesco's first witness, town planning consultant Bob Robinson, said: "There
is a proposal at the moment to open a Tesco Express which is the more
convenience type of store."

Mr Robinson said the proposed Express store was near the site of the
planned Beith Street project and would provide a top-up shopping role.'

Tesco also recently launched another of its smaller stores on the site of the
former Creme de la Creme restaurant in Argyle Street - just half a mile
from the proposed Partick site.

James H
_________________
Happiness ain't at the end of the road - Happiness *IS* the road...

james73 · Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 1:18 pm Post subject:

Developers clash over Tesco plans

RIVAL developers clashed at a public inquiry over major superstore plans.

Tesco is appealing a decision to refer a planning application for a development
of supermarket and student flats at Partick, close to Glasgow Harbour to
the Scottish Government.

On day two of the inquiry, Patrick Clarkson, representing Tesco, stated a
plan by Glasgow Harbour to have a retail development on an adjacent site
would be more detrimental to traffic in the area.

However, he was interrupted by Glasgow Harbour representative Craig
Conal who objected on the grounds his client's proposal was not the
subject of the inquiry.

Mr Clarkson said: "Glasgow Harbour with twice the retail space is claiming
their traffic generation will be the same."

Then, as he was questioning traffic expert Michael Summers, he asked
what his assessment of the Glasgow Harbour plan would be.

Mr Conal objected, saying Mr Summers's written precognition did not
include any details of the Glasgow Harbour plan and questions on it were
out of bounds.

Mr Clarkson added: "I have no doubt this is embarrassing for Glasgow
Harbour. They are seeking to promote a scheme that's twice as large with
half the traffic."

Earlier, the parties exchanged views on the need for an environmental
impact assessment for the Tesco development.

Tesco claims a previous application which lapsed was screened for
assessment and a new screening was not needed under planning laws.

James H
_________________
Happiness ain't at the end of the road - Happiness *IS* the road...

james73 · Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 2:51 pm Post subject:

Tesco chief snubs invite to new superstore site

THE chairman of Tesco has turned down an offer to visit the site of the firm's
proposed superstore at Partick.

David Reid was approached by a leading opponent of the controversial
plan at the Taste of Scotland event in George Square at the weekend.

Mr Reid's rejection came midway through a public inquiry into the plan,
which has infuriated many in the Partick community.

Gordon Bickerton, a committee member of the Stop Tesco Owning Partick
(STOP) group said he took the opportunity when he heard Mr Reid was
giving a speech in George Square.

Mr Bickerton said: "I wanted to invite him to see the site personally.

"He could have heard a local resident's concerns directly instead of hearing
them through a flunkey.

"I didn't want to cause any embarrassment so I waited until his speech
was over then approached him.

"He was very polite but turned me down and said the decisions were not
his to make."

Mr Reid, originally from Edinburgh, was appointed Tesco chairman in 2004.

He was unavailable for comment.

James H
_________________
Happiness ain't at the end of the road - Happiness *IS* the road...

james73 · Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2008 1:04 pm Post subject:

Tesco in £1m bus link bill row

STORE giant Tesco is challenging calls for it to pay around £1million
towards the Clyde Fastlink transport service.

A public inquiry into the firm's proposed Partick development heard
developers are obliged to contribute to the planned integrated traffic link
from Glasgow Central to Glasgow Harbour.

But Tesco's legal representative Patrick Clarkson QC suggested the
company was unwilling to make the payment.

The row emerged during the second week of an inquiry into Tesco Town',
the retail giant's two planning applications for Beith Street, Partick, one for
a superstore and another for a superstore and 915 student flats.

Mr Clarkson also demanded to see a list detailing all other developers and
their contributions to Fastlink.

Glasgow City Council principal planner Jim Patrick told the inquiry that the
guidance is that developers should be asked to support it as they "would
benefit from it."

But Mr Clarkson pointed out that Partick Cross already had "first-class"
public transport infrastructure.

Mr Clarkson asked how much money developers had donated to the
scheme so far and "where it had come from?"

Mr Patrick replied: "We've had £3.6m. The council has given planning
permission to around 20 schemes where the developers have agreed to
make a financial contribution or a contribution in kind."

But Mr Clarkson said: "We (Tesco) are being asked to pay £1m towards
Fastlink which there seems to be no justification for, in our view."

The sides are being asked to agree conditions for the Tesco development,
should it be approved.

James H
_________________
Happiness ain't at the end of the road - Happiness *IS* the road...

james73 · Posted: Thu May 01, 2008 12:36 pm Post subject:

Tesco and council told to start talking on store

A CONTROVERSIAL superstore planning application took a significant step
forward after Tesco and council officials were told to enter talks to try to
reach agreement.

Michael Culshaw, public inquiry reporter, took the unusual step of asking
the supermarket chain and Glasgow City Council to agree a set of
conditions, should he "be minded to recommend approval" of the scheme.

After discussions, the major disagreement appeared to be whether the
store planned for Partick, in the city's west end, should be allowed to open
24 hours.

A list of 53 conditions was set out for the inquiry to consider, ranging from
a bat survey to drainage assessments and noise levels should it be given
the go-ahead.

Both parties failed to agree on the opening hours of the store which would
be sited at Beith Street in Partick.

In the list of conditions, it is stated: "The operation of the proposed
supermarket shall not begin before 0700 hours or operate after 2300
hours."

The reason for the condition was given as: "In order to safeguard the
property itself, the amenity of the surrounding area and the adjacent
proposed housing."

The car-park hours were also suggested to be between 7am and 11pm,
with measures to be put in place to prevent commuters using it as a free
car park.

James H
_________________
Happiness ain't at the end of the road - Happiness *IS* the road...

james73 · Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 1:07 pm Post subject:

Dead and buried?

PLANS for a massive supermarket development dubbed Tesco Town look
scuppered.

The retail giant wants to build a store and 900 flats in Glasgow's West End.
provided access to the new store and flats But it now looks likely the firm will
be forced to ditch its plans for the flats because a huge chunk of land it needs
for access to the plot is to be sold to another bidder.

The planned superstore could still go ahead if the company gets the
necessary planning permission for the site at the bottom of Byres Road in
Partick.

But the overall development would be much smaller - and would no longer
be anything like the scale of the original planned Tesco Town.

Access to the student flats was intended to be from a new roundabout to
be built on an area of land - currently owned by the city council - at Beith
Street.

Tesco and Glasgow Harbour, which is behind the massive housing and
leisure development on the banks of the Clyde, were both interested in
buying the four acre site.

Council bosses agreed to invite the companies to make a competitive bid
for the parcel of land based on its value as a site for housing.

Tomorrow the executive committee will be told Glasgow Harbour submitted
the higher offer of £4.1million and it should be sold the land.

If councillors agree to the recommendation, it will mean Tesco will not be
able to get access to the flats it wants to build.

James H
_________________
Happiness ain't at the end of the road - Happiness *IS* the road...

Fjord · Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 3:50 pm Post subject:

Clear as mud

james73 · Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 12:24 pm Post subject:

Tesco told to 'do the decent thing and pull out of Partick'

TESCO was today facing calls to pull out of Glasgow's West End so the land
can be used for low-cost family homes.

The plea came after the Evening Times yesterday exclusively revealed
Glasgow City Council is set to sell a piece of land - essential to Tesco's
current plans - in Beith Street to Glasgow Harbour.

The £4.1million sale, due to be finalised by councillors today, scuppers the
retail giant's plan for a massive development dubbed Tesco Town.

Tesco needs the land to access 900 student flats they want to build at the
foot of Byres Road.

The firm has admitted if it cannot buy the land it will have to scrap its
housing plans but insists it will press ahead with a much smaller
development which will just involve a supermarket.

Glasgow Harbour refused to comment on the land sale today or to reveal
details of what they plan to do with it.

But Kenny McLean, SNP councillor for Partick West, urged the supermarket
giant to "do the decent thing" and pull out completely.

Mr McLean insists a new superstore is not needed in an area where many
local traders are struggling to survive.

He said: "If the land is sold to Glasgow Harbour, I would very much hope
they would build housing, including affordable social housing."

Campaigners fighting the Tesco Town development also called for the
supermarket to pull out of Partick.

James H
_________________
Happiness ain't at the end of the road - Happiness *IS* the road...

james73 · Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2008 11:38 am Post subject:

Tesco turf war in rival's store plan

SUPERMARKET chain Morrisons wants to triple the size of its store in Partick,
Glasgow.

The move is a fresh blow to the controversial plan by rival Tesco for a
massive superstore in the area.

Company bosses have lodged an application with Glasgow City Council to
increase the size of the Vine Street store from 3221sq m to 9291sq m.

Details of the plans are not yet known but it is understood the extension
would be on land at Anderson Street currently used as a car park.

If the extension was granted the Morrisons store would stretch to Beith
Street and be only a short distance from where Tesco wants to build its
superstore.

A decision on the Morrisons bid, which is for outline consent, is likely to be
made at the council's planning applications committee in either August or
September.

But the move will increase pressure on Tesco, which was last week outbid
by Glasgow Harbour for a piece of land seen as crucial for access to their
site at Beith Street.

Partick councillor Kenny McLean said on Tuesday that he thought "the
writing was on the wall" for the Tesco development.

He added: "I am aware the Morrisons application would make their store
considerably larger than it is now.

"The Tesco supermarket plan is effectively a dead duck and I think
Morrisons realise that and see an opportunity for the future.

"I don't think both applications could go ahead and an application to extend
an existing store would be much more likely to get approval than an
entirely new one."

Mr McLean said he had not seen the Morrisons application in detail and
stressed it would have to be carefully scrutinised to make sure it was good
for the area.

The Tesco Town plan, which was lodged with the council in 2005, led to an
outcry from local residents and the formation of the pressure group Stop
Tesco Owning Partick.

As well as the superstore, the company wanted to build 900 flats and an
underground car park.

James H
_________________
Happiness ain't at the end of the road - Happiness *IS* the road...

james73 · Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2008 3:11 pm Post subject:

Green light for TescoTown plan (Evening Times)

SUPERMARKET giant Tesco has won its controversial fight for planning
permission for a huge supermarket and hundreds of flats in Partick.

Earlier this year, a two week public inquiry was held in Glasgow into two sets
of plans by the company for a site near the bottom of Byres Road.

One was for a large scale development with a 7435sq m superstore, 653
student flats, 220 private flats and leisure uses on the banks of the River
Kelvin, the other was for a stand alone superstore.

The Evening Times has discovered the Reporter to the public inquiry has
thrown out the plan for the smaller of the two developments but backed
what has been dubbed the Tesco Town scheme.

The decision has shocked local councillors and campaigners who fought
against the Tesco proposals on the grounds of traffic congestion and
pollution.

However despite the decision to grant planning permission, it is still not
clear if the store and flats will get off the ground.

Last month, the Evening Times exclusively revealed that Glasgow City
Council agreed to sell a piece of land in Beith Street, which is vital if the
larger development is to go-ahead, to Glasgow Harbour for £4.1million.

Without that land, it is unlikely the superstore and flats can be built.

But if an agreement can be reached with Glasgow Harbour, Tesco Town
now has the official go-ahead.

Partick West councillor Aileen Colleran admitted she was stunned by the
decision to grant planning permission.

She said: "I am disappointed because I felt the case against Tesco was
very strong.

"The one ray of light is that the Reporter to the public inquiry has not
recommended the stand alone store for planning permission.

"Tesco owns all the land for that so permission would have meant game
over. This story isn't over yet because the city council agreed to sell the
land in Beith Street to Glasgow Harbour.

"That means Tesco cannot go ahead unless the owners of that piece of
land agree to co-operate with them on the development.

"I wasn't in favour of either of the Tesco supermarket developments
because even the stand alone store was going to be big but we will now
just have to wait and see what happens."

Gordon Bickerton of campaign group Stop Tesco Owning Partick (STOP)
admitted he was shocked and disappointed by the Reporter's decision. He
said: "I cannot believe that a government department would fly in the
face of so much public feeling against this. I am astonished.

"I would have thought if anything had got the go-ahead it would have
been the smaller development given the level of protest there was about
the big one.

"This decision is unbelievable and I am in total shock."

James H
_________________
Happiness ain't at the end of the road - Happiness *IS* the road...