Oswestry21

It’s been known for a while that someone has created a fake oswestry21 website which is “vehemently opposed to the activities of oswestry21″, and thus, presumably,  is vehemently opposed to discussion of any kind of sustainability issues. But it’s mention on Radio Shropshire yesterday morning bought it to public notice.

The site was registerd by an I. Packington, and displays a delightfully inappropriate photograph of what seems to be a small continental harbour drenched in sunlight. It has a couple of links to pro supermarket articles, and appears to be collecting names and post codes which are claimed to be being sent to Oswestry Town Council.  OTC must be baffled as to what to do with this limited information, as it’s hands are tied in any planning decision regarding the supermarkets as they are interested parties on two counts - as landowners of both the Smithfield and the Central Car Park. Nice photo though.

350 people made a presence that put paid to recent rumours of a “vociferous minority” of supermarket protesters. It was a strong turnout which met with no opposition views and represented concerned individuals of all ages from Oswestry and it’s surroundings. This was a definite message that many are tired and angry at having the future of what is a market town dictated by supermarket retailers and developers and by elected councillors that are so in thrall to them that they have little vision for the town as a community and economic entity in the changing times that are facing us.

The arguments and reasons have been discussed many times in these back pages, and if the process after a planning decision on the 18th March is to go to appeal, as expected, then these arguments will have to be refined and honed further. But for now, the fact remains that 350 people gave up their Saturday morning for their voices to be heard and their actions seen. Many thanks to all.

Press release from the CPRE today 4th March. It can be done! Oswestry next, where Shropshire Council equally needs, in the light of PPS4, to “to look at the size of stores in terms of gross floor space and impact on the wider local economy”.

In response to today’s landmark decision to prevent a new Supermarket development in the centre of the largely unspoiled sea side town of Sheringham, James Frost, Director of CPRE Norfolk, says:

“This is a brave and important decision. It shows that local authorities can resist the market power and muscle of the largest retailers and fight for the right decisions to be made to prevent the wrong development taking place. This decision offers hope to many other towns fighting similar proposals for more large supermarkets.

“The alternative decision in favour of the Greenhouse Community Project also has its challenges but it does offer a joined-up 21^st century approach to food sourcing, education and retail. The meeting today heard from young people, schoolteachers and members of the local community who all see the unique opportunity that the project offers. It’s a victory for local food networks and a victory for local democracy.

“The Tesco store has always been too large for Sheringham and would have caused a serious impact on local traders, the town centre and tourism.  Sheringham has been a test case for the new planning policy statement PPS4 which asks councils to look at the size of stores in terms of gross floor space and impact on the wider local economy. Once again, Tesco have fallen short.”

If you value the town and are dubious about the scale of supermarkets proposed, and the claimed need for one, come for an hour on Saturday.

In her letter in the Advertizer (February 23) Maggie Godfrey of MG Planning, the planning consultants for Richard Burbidge’s proposed Tesco superstore, produced some misleading figures about the proposed Oswestry superstores, that demand correction.

·               Her claim that 30% of local people from the town’s core catchment population do not shop in Oswestry is a myth.  Shropshire Council’s advisers Nathaniel Lichfield and Partners (NLP) say only 17% of the core catchment population in and around Oswestry do not do their grocery shopping there.  For Oswestry town itself, the figure is only 10%, which is not unusual.

·               The headline results of the recent Skillsmart survey, showing that 78% of Oswestry shoppers don’t want a new supermarket, were out before Christmas and the full report is now available from Shropshire Council.  A sample size of 100 in each area is quite normal in such surveys including the NLP survey mentioned above.

·               Maggie Godfrey’s figure of 2,620 sq m net floorspace for Sainsbury’s includes checkouts, but the Burbidge/Tesco figure of 3,313 sq m net excludes them.  The equivalent figure for Burbidge/Tesco is at least 3,726 sq m.  This is 42% bigger than Sainsbury’s, not the 26% claimed.  It is about twice as big as the new Tesco store at Ellesmere.  Felix Gummer, Tesco’s representative for the area, has even stated that the proposed store could accommodate a mezzanine floor, which would increase the floorspace substantially.

NLP have just reduced their original 2007 assessment of the “need” for more grocery space now in Oswestry by 62%.  For planning purposes local authorities still have to demonstrate “need” but, since the rules changed in December, applicants do not.

The key test for them is “impact”.  The impact assessment accompanying the Burbidge planning application purported to show that their development would, by 2013, take only 16% of its trade from existing Oswestry shops, representing lost takings of £5.6million (3.4%) to the town’s shops.  NLP, the council’s advisers, disagree and think the proposed Tesco superstore could actually take 67% of its trade from the town, representing lost takings of £26.6million (16%).

The statistics are clear. A Tesco superstore at Burbidge would be highly damaging to Oswestry’s town centre and its future as a market town.

With many thanks to Mr Keeff, Katie, Steven Jones and James MacGregor, and major thanks to Joyce for arranging it. Very much appreciated, and enjoyed hearing music from the Wrexham scene. Thanks to all.