Tesco's plans to develop the Shredded Wheat factory in Broadwater Road have been defeated
MP Grant Shapps slams Tesco plans
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
4:19 PM
MP Grant Shapps has spoken out against supermarket giant Tesco’s plans for Welwyn Garden City.
Grant ShappsMr Shapps’ views have been released just hours before tonight’s (Wednesday’s) planning committee meeting.
Fifteen councillors will decide whether plans for a 50,000sq ft supermarket, swimming pool, affordable housing, heritage centre, doctors’ surgery and YMCA on Broadwater Road, should be given the go-ahead.
Mr Shapps said: “Right from the outset it has been clear that the Tesco application goes against clearly set out principles for the development of our town centre.
“The local plan states that Broadwater Road should be zoned for housing, business and leisure, but specifically rules out retail.
“ Given the huge size of the proposed Tesco store it’s hard to see how anything has changed.
“The amount of traffic generated by such a store, the impact on our existing shops and those in the surrounding area, together with the poor connectivity with the town centre are for me reasons why I hope that councillors will reject this application tonight.”
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19 comments
why instead of having people (councillors) who dont really know what the people of welwyn hatfield want why dont they get Tesco to fund a ballot on the matter, then they will know once and for all what the people want instead of having a guess stab in the dark of what people want
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arrold
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
@jonmorris "Welwyn Hatfield really needs another gym doesn't it" . I take it you are not a gymgoer, or you would be better acquainted with the paucity of facilities on offer in WGC (and the borough in general). The town is crying out for a decent gym, and a swimmable pool.
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Michael doney
Friday, January 13, 2012
Fair play to Mr Snapps, who contacted me on twitter to say he had a long term prior arrangement (with welhat residence) that could not be moved, otherwise he would have been there.
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dunnerz
Friday, January 13, 2012
I have always respected Mr Shapps for the work he is doing .. but after this shambles he could not even be bothered to face all his electorates.i can think of a few things to call Mr Shapps .. but a NUMPTY is the most polite. ... :)
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Peter B
Thursday, January 12, 2012
we dont want anymore homes in welwyn garden because welwyn is going down hill like hatfield town it needs money spent on it there are no good shops in welwyn or hatfield any more two many students are taking over welwyn & hatfield & not many jobs around the area
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newman
Thursday, January 12, 2012
What a shambles. WGC will live to regret this decison which lets face it was made to keep a few silly old fools in big houses happy.
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tommo
Thursday, January 12, 2012
the trouble is Austin35 .. you can't trust any of the committee .. I was reading the tweets and the final result did not seem to correspond to the tweeting going on
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Peter B
Thursday, January 12, 2012
I believe a swimming pool along with a fitness centre would be a good thing ... look at the fitness of some of the WGC tenants .. If the swimming poolfitness package was right it can only be a good thing .. and the supermarket would also give some much needed employment to WGC .. get some off Benefits .. what are the prospects of this area at the moment ... not too good
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Peter B
Thursday, January 12, 2012
How can our local MP go on national TV and radio and claim we need more housing projects, then reject one on his door step? Seems like he is a NIMBY.
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dunnerz
Thursday, January 12, 2012
According to Kieran Thorpe on Twitter, Grant Shapps wasn't at the meeting... "thought you might have come to the planning meeting tonight (tesco) they read out your statement which i thought a little odd."
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commonsense
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Tesco know the pool wouldn't probably make a profit and land the council (and us) with a huge bill - before probably closing down. They planned to open a gym to subsidise it (and Welwyn Hatfield really needs another gym doesn't it!) and I am sure that would have survived. The plans (or lack of) to improve the bridge and actually encourage people to go over the railway line to use the other shops was clearly the biggest joke of all. Tesco wanted you to drive there, park, shop in Tesco and leave. For people who like Tesco, just keep going to the huge Extra stores in Hatfield or Stevenage.. it would probably be quicker than sitting in the traffic queues snarling up WGC.
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jonmorris
Thursday, January 12, 2012
i just have to laugh at the naivety, Grant Shapps has not from the start been against it. Up until at least a month a go he was on the 'fence' and before he was actually all for it. So once again the WHT has provided a bias incorrect story. Just for reference I know this because I had a long conversation with him. @Gonghandi, your another person making blind statements. Tesco are questioning whether if it is economically viable for the store they are proposing and are not managing the contract for the pool. So there would be no chance it being built on with no retail
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992smithy
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Sod the original plan for WGC set down so many years past. Times change, and so should the plans as needed for the good of WGC. Tesco's being refused on the grounds of original plans for our Garden City would be wrong. Tesco's being refused because of it's VERY POOR attempt to buy a towns soul would be so very, very right. Why can't Tesco regenerate the site with affordable housing, links to the town centre and the dangled carrot of a swimming pool without a new supermarket? They would still make money, maybe even do some good. Maybe Tesco have no intention of doing what's GOOD, but profitable...
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Gonghandi
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
I don't understand how Grant can constantly be in the press wanting more housing and supporting projects - yet rejects such investment in a project right on his doorstep? I've said many times before, I'm not pro Tesco, I'm pro development - if the cost of which is a tesco and it gets it done sooner, then all the better. Earlier posters are spot on, how can an old plan be that relevant today? It's like if they were refusing to put new optical telephone infrastructure in the town because it wasn't in the plans.
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dunnerz
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Would be good for the town,now lets see how long all the anti,s are pleased to see Broadwater Road Stand and Rott. ALSO we know who NOT to vote for next time.....
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austin35
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
He's been asked for his view on this many many times over the last year. Why wait until the last moment to clearly express it? It's good though, better late than never.
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wpd
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Sod the original plan for WGC set down so many years past. Times change, and so should the plans as needed for the good of WGC. Tesco's being refused on the grounds of original plans for our Garden City would be wrong. Tesco's being refused because of it's VERY POOR attempt to buy a towns soul would be so very, very right. Why can't Tesco regenerate the site with affordable housing, links to the town centre and the dangled carrot of a swimming pool without a new supermarket? They would still make money, maybe even do some good. Maybe Tesco have no intention of doing what's GOOD, but profitable...
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Gonghandi
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Well done Mr Shapps for supporting what is right for WGC as opposed to big business.
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RichGC
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
For once I agree with Mr Shapps. The original plan for WGC seems to have been constantly overlooked by our council. Shame they aren't as proud WGC's heritage as the council in Letchworth are of theirs.
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IJWilliams
Wednesday, January 11, 2012