Public Inquiry: What can we do about the Tesco Appeal?

With the public inquiry rapidly approaching, there are a number of ways that you can help us.

Firstly, it is important that we show how much opposition there is in town to the proposed store. Please download our poster from this website and display it. Get all your friends to do the same! If you wish, we can provide copies of the poster- just email info@ilkleyirate.org with your address, and we will drop one off to you.

The Appeal by Tesco will start on 7th July and last for 8 days. The venue for the appeal hearing is the Ilkley Playhouse, Weston Road. IRATE welcomes support at the Inquiry by a show of strength from residents attending, particularly on the opening day 7 July (10am to 5pm), on the last two days – Wed 14, Thurs 15, when the IRATE team should be giving its evidence, and the summing-up on the final day Friday 16th July.
The appeal process is costly. So far, a few individual members have absorbed the costs themselves for copying a vast amount of documents, putting information on discs, purchasing stationery/files, Special Delivery postage, purchasing traffic monitoring devices, etc.

In addition, the people representing us as Independent Expert Witnesses at the inquiry hearing are making no charges for their services. However, as they will be coming long distances to assist us, we should at least reimburse them for their out-of-pocket expenses, travel, etc.

We are therefore also asking for your help to contribute to IRATE funds for the appeal process and any sum you can donate would be very much appreciated. Also, if you have any friends/neighbours who are opposed to the Tesco expansion please ask them to consider making a donation.

Any surplus monies after all expenses have been paid will be donated to a suitable charity
e.g. Cancer Research, British Heart Foundation, etc.

Please email info@ilkleyirate.org for details of how to donate.

Tesco appeals decision

Tesco is appealing the decision made by Bradford Council to refuse planning permission for both the Springs Lane and Mayfield Road sites. Time and time again Ilkley people have spoken out against the building of an un-needed superstore in a residential area. A 5000 signature-petition, 2000 objection letters and packed halls at two public meetings have clearly stated the town’s views. At the hearing in August, Bradford planners agreed with this view.

“Any comments already made following the original application for Planning Permission will be forwarded to the Planning Inspectorate and copied to the appellant and will be taken into account by the Inspector in deciding the appeal.”

Bradford Council rejects the proposed new Tesco

Bradford Council unanimously rejected plans for the new supermarket off Mayfield Road at the Keighley area planning panel held on 3rd August 2009.

Councillors rejected the new store plan on the grounds of the inappropriate design and materials, highways impact on residents’ amenity and said it was unacceptable in an out-of-centre location, contrary to the council’s retail strategy.

They also rejected outline plans by Tesco for a residential care home, business and office units on its current supermarket site at Springs Lane.

IRATE would like to thank everyone who has helped us in opposing this development thus far.

Unfortunately this is not the end of the matter. Tesco could still choose to appeal this decision. Tesco has six months in which to apply to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister who may appoint an independent inspector to look into the case. If appointed, the inspector looks at the original reasons for refusal, the applicant’s case and the position of other interested parties. A report will then either grant or refuse permission.

With so many appeals being lodged it would probably take at least ten months before an inspector could even get started on this process. The alternative is for Tesco to submit a new request for planning permission, but they can’t do this for another two years.

Tesco’s plans for the proposed store

Tesco are proposing to build a massive superstore on the old Spooners site on Railway Road in Ilkley. IRATE (Ilkley Residents Against Tesco Expansion) is a group of residents opposed to this development.

View of the proposed store from Mayfield Road

Tesco have now submitted their revised plans for the store. At over 80,000 sq. ft the store will be considerably larger than the previous application.

You can also view the plans online by searching for 09/00857/FUL here. Here are some of the headlines:

For those that want to study the plans in detail two CD-ROMS are available to borrow from the Planning Office (first on the left, ground floor) at the Town Hall in Ilkley – one CD for the new store and the other for the Springs Lane development. They have to be signed for and can be borrowed for 48 hours.

If you would like to keep up to date with what IRATE is doing please join our mailing list.

IRATE Poster

We have created a poster for the campaign – you may have seen it on shops and houses around the town:

If you would like to print out a copy to display you can download it here.

Tescopoly

For information on how Tesco is attempting to ruin many other towns all over the UK check out the extensive www.tescopoly.org website.