Oswestry21

(From the Star)

Shropshire Council wants to fell nine cherry trees at Oswestry’s Festival Square car park. But a group of business people say there is no need for the trees to come down. The trees are used to string Christmas decorations in the square.

Willow Street-based PR firm, The Jools Payne Partnership, The Best of Oswestry website and The Gates gift shop in Church Street have become the first to back a campaign to save the trees.

Jools Payne said: “The cherry trees are stunning. To hack them down simply because the roots are causing a few issues is a travesty.

Shropshire Council says the tree roots are lifting the paving stones and will be replaced by other trees.

Marcus Leroux of the Times (Aug. 14th) reports that as a result of a 2 year investigation by the Competition Commission, supermarkets are to be barred from using property deals including those with local authorities, to freeze out other food retailers.

Whilst  there are some concerns that prevention of these practices will not always be beneficial to competitors, it is yet more recognition of the need to respond to the strong arm tactics of supermarkets especially by the Big Four ie Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s and  Morrisons.

On Thursday, 29 July, the Strategic Development Committee will consider the four Oswestry retail applications. CPRE Oswestry has produced an extensive reasoned case against all four and in support of the Fifth Option of no more supermarkets in Oswestry. Council planners are, however, recommending approval of the Central Car Park site which is far too large in scale for the town (http://is.gd/dE9sy). Oswestry Town Council continues to oppose the central development (it owns the site), as it is obliged to do under its contract with the developers proposing the Smithfield scheme. The planning meeting is at 1pm at The Marches School, Oswestry. It is open to the public and we are hoping for a strong show of support from CPRE, Oswestry 21 supporters and residents.

From Pete Lloyd:

I’ve just finished talking to four traders for four short films in which they tell their stories. They’ve been made as part of Take to the Streets, Oswestry’s traders’ day, coming up on Saturday 31 July.

I’m asking Os21 to post this here on their website after some hesitation, because these videos are not intended as a blow for or against supermarkets. The participants did not sign up for that.

I don’t want to load them with too much significance when at heart they’re just interesting stories. But I believe they do help address a bigger question than “supermarket or no supermarket?”

What’s good about Take to the Streets is that, just like the food festival earlier this month, it’s the antidote to pessimism. The economy is shaky. There’s uncertainty about whether our trading and geographical landscape will be seismically altered by another supermarket. But events like the traders’ day are saying “We’ve got a great town. We’ve got enterprising people. Whether we end up with a supermarket or not, we can get together and make the future work for us.”

The people in these videos are the sort who get things going. They have an idea - and they go out and do it. And from then on, every day is a test of whether they’re doing it right. There’s a lot to identify with, there.

Do we face difficult times? Of course. Should we be optimistic? Yes. But we’ll need people like these in our community.

See Traders’ Stories at:

http://www.vimeo.com/user4207221

Also check out this film of Oswestry Food Festival - more evidence that Oswestry is a thriving town!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wbx6ya0rooY

The following piece appeared in the Shropshire Star on Tuesday 13th July

“Hundreds of Oswestry jobs could be at risk if plans to turn a factory site into a supermarket are unsuccessful.

Bosses at Richard Burbidge, Whittington Road, claim the outcome of a planning application for a Tesco superstore, a restaurant, Reel cinema and other facilities may affect their business’s future.

The joinery firm, which employs about 300 people, says if given the green light from planning officials it will be able to relocate its Oswestry business.

But the company, which has 200 workers in Oswestry, says it has “no plan B” if the application is not successful.

Richard Vernon, development consultant, said: “It is an application that is not just about a superstore – it is the relocation of the Burbidge business. There is uncertainty about its next steps.”

Steve Underhill, chief executive, said: “We have hundreds of people working for us and we have promised we would advise them what is happening.

Confidentiality

The relocation plans would see the head office and warehouses move to another area of the town. But the specific site details are being kept under wraps because of confidentiality.

Mr Underhill said “We are looking to relocate the whole business onto a site in Oswestry but only if we have a successful application. If not, we don’t have a plan B.”

Burbidge officials say the application will create 350 local jobs, safeguard 200 jobs and improve retail choice and leisure facilities for the town. There has been concern about two listed buildings on the Burbidge site. The company says there are plans to restore and improve one of them although one building could be removed.

But Mr Vernon said that as the supermarket scheme is only at outline planning, details were not yet available.

This application for the Burbidge site is one of four submitted bids for a supermarket.

Other bids are for the Central Car Park, Smithfield Livestock Market in Shrewsbury Road, and the JT Hughes and Guttercrest site in Victoria Road.

Richard Burbidge’s application and the others will be discussed by Shropshire Council’s Strategic Planning Committee on the afternoon of July 29.

By Chrissy Symmons

Over 300 people have signed the protest letter to Tim Rogers, Principal Planning Office. You can download a copy from the CPRE Shropshire website:

http://www.cpreshropshire.org.uk/campaigns/towns/oswestry/saving_oswestry.htm