Is there a town in England without a large Tesco? At the moment there is at least one, and residents of Manningtree are hoping it will stay that way. This delightful Essex enclave is the smallest town in England with a population of only 900, and is preparing to battle with all its might against a new superstore opening in its historic coastal town.
Tesco already has an Express store in the town – against local opposition – and residents fear for the survival of their High Street traders if a larger store is opened too. There are also more than a dozen Tesco stores within a stone’s throw, so it doesn’t meet a local need.
So it’s timely for them that the dominant role of Tesco will tonight be shown on Channel 4. Dispatches asks if Tesco is abusing its power as Britain’s favourite supermarket, with 2,000 stores and 15 million customers a week, and almost twice as big as its nearest rival. The programme says that Tesco could soon become even bigger – but not if Manningtree protesters get their way.
Does Tesco always win? Do the residents of Manningtree stand a chance against them? And do local people support their small shops enough, or is the reality that they really do prefer Tesco?
When Tesco says “every little helps”, who are they really helping – their shareholders and profits springs to mind.
I used to know Manningtree well. There used to be a large number of swans by the river near the grain mills.
I’ll try to watch the programme tonight – thanks for pointing it out.
I think the planners want to say no Ellee. However, they are fearful that when Tesco wins on appeal (which they inevitably do) they could be sued. I noticed at a state banquet a few years ago that Tesco bagged 4 seats http://www.geoffjones.com/2004/08/interesting-seating-plan-for-state.html
So with friends like that who has to worry about appeals.
Heres a good article from another critic http://www.supermarket-sweep-up.com/?p=477
I don1t know quite what to make of the anti Tesco feeling .The main reason for them is that this is what peole want. Whe i have nbee out canvassing views the poeple on the pavement are far miore pro tesco than the people who do to “Sustainable Community” act meetings .
Not sure , its an easy bandwagon to get ion . Perhaps tesco are doing a really good jib . I shop there . how about you ?
I don1t know quite what to make of the anti Tesco feeling .The main reason for them is that this is what peole want. Whe i have nbee out canvassing views the poeple on the pavement are far miore pro Tesco than the people who do to “Sustainable Community” act meetings .
Not sure , its an easy bandwagon to get on . Perhaps Tesco are doing a really good job . I shop there ,how about you ?
The loosening of planning laws is a worry but we alrady have strong monopoly laws ( unlike the EU !!!!!)
Newmania, I shop there reluctantly, but only for convenience, I don’t even find it particularly cheap either. I don’t like their deli, I prefer Waitrose and Sainsbury’s for that. I hear Aldi is worth a try, but we don’t have a local one. I guess if you live in a very pretty town, you do not want to lose your local traders to a supermarket giant, each case should be decided on its own merits, local people surely should have a say.
Geoff, thanks for the links, it looks like Tesco bosses are very well connected.
I never know what to make of the anti tesco feeling either, if people are so anti why do they continue to shop at tesco. Maybe its because they are good value for money , having many great BOGOF offers,maybe its because they are convenient to get too, or maybe its because of their great friendly staff who are always there to help you 🙂
Sally, most definitely the friendly staff 🙂
Aldi for me everytime, just can;t afford Tesco either for the cost or the sheer waste of time plodding around their hugh stores with their illusion of choice. Although if Sally was at my local Tesco things might be different 🙂
1) Section 106 agreements help persuade councils.
2) They are extremely powerful – They can effectively say something along the lines to the Chancellor that due to Tesco price cuts inflation is 1% lower this year than it would have been.
3) People use them as they have effective monopolies in many out of town locations. SO they now sell over 40% non food items – but do you see the likes of Boots being allowed in the OOT locations to compete – not any more.
4) Now they have that market they are moving back into town to take similar chunks out of the retail cake.
I’m afraid I’m with Tesco! I shopped there in the UK and they certainly had their customer relations staff well trained. Also if you asked them for some ingredient they had never heard of they would try and get it for you. The supermarkets here could learn from them. I see the point about the small, high street traders but sometimes such shops can be frustrating. If both types of traders try to adapt to the needs of the times, why shouldn’t they co-exist? By the way, you should see where they put supermarkets here – some are in spacious surroundings with flat car parks as in Britain but some have been plonked under blocks of flats and if you don’t drive you have to walk down and up some very steep slopes!
Tesco have been known to decimate village shopping with their vast stores. Councils have got to say ‘no’ to any more.
Elee I`m so sorry about that more than usually awful spelling. I`m very busy and full of anti biotics. I seemt to have no coordination.
Odd.
Oh well I `ll soo be back
Oh your poor unenlightened darlings, they pay planning departments for a ‘quick decision’.
In a 2001 memorandum submitted by Tesco to the ‘Select Committee on Transport, Local Government and the Regions’ Tesco proposed:
‘Resources
52. Resources are fundamental to the operation of the planning system. It is our experience that planning departments are under resourced and this will continue to undermine the proposed reforms of the system unless it is addressed. Tesco is prepared to pay larger fees for major developments provided this would demonstrably improve resourcing and capability.’
read the rest here:
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200102/cmselect/cmtlgr/476/476m55.htm
They got their way in the end, you guys are slow off the mark, it’s been going on for years.
Steven, most enlightening, and how about this extract from your excellent link:
“8. We believe that most local planning authorities do not devote sufficient resources to the development plan process to enable it to operate efficiently and quickly. There are delays at every stage at the process, for example in the consideration of objections, and in the publication of sensible pre-inquiry modifications to overcome objections.”
Tescos are so big because they do what they do very well. I can go to my Tesco and PARK _ now there’s a rarity in London these days! I can not only do my grocery shopping but fill up with petrol and do my recycling at the same time _ so I feel green at not having made lots of seperate journies. I can also get a prescription filled late evening _ and not have to waste my lunch hour trying to find a small pharmacy…
If councils want to ‘fight back’ on behalf of small high street shops, they should stop being so anti-motorist: my local ‘high street’ is flooded with traffic wardens, deliberately confusing parking regulations and a whole raft of unnecessary and deliberate reductions in parking space _ yellow lines where they are not needed, absurdly long bus bays and many others which all drive away passing trade. These Luddite greens congratulate themselves on their latest efforts to attack the motorist and then moan about out of town shopping centres _ it’s their own fault..
David, I agree with you about how Tesco makes everything so easy fo shoppers – and hassle free parking is a godsend. I do love individuality, I find Tesco quite sterile, not a joyful experience.
Perhaps I should confess I have saved more than 10,000 airmiles with them over the last few years (how much shopping does that equate to?)
In Fakenham, Tesco made every threat known that they could throw at us. They would get the most expensive lawyers in the country, they would make us pay their costs, they would bankrupt the council, they were they for the ordinary people of Fakenham, not the rich, they stood up for decent people, etc, etc.
They rubbished 70% of a traffic report, but then chose to quote the other 30% of the report to justify their application, they ran a phone campaign to rubbish a local action group, slandering some of the people involved, the list goes on and on.
Even though I work for Sainsburys I am really against this superstores appearing in small towns. We had a smallish sainsburys, they decided they wanted a superstore…all very well, but then the carpark had to come with it..now a shopping mall is coming as well..some individual shops had to close after trading for years…some houses now have a view of a carpark or some other building. This market town (Wantage) is going to disappear, And now in Grove near Wantage Tesco’s have built a tesco’s express, where we have a small supermarket, a butchers, a real greengrocers and a off licence. I use the shops in town and this village as much as possible…use them or lose them.
In a free market people are free to choose. The issue here is the tynranny of the majority. We want local shops, but use the supermarkets.
Don’t blame Tesco’s for your own choices. I hate the place and am always baffled by it sucess. I have only ever been in a few times. The food is poor and the non-food goods are £1 shop fare.
I choose to shop elsewhere to get quality food and other goods. If we all did this Tesco’s would lose. Stop blaming their ‘attacks’ on planning etc. It is just ill-focused ranting.
I live in Manningtree and the majority of local people will be welcoming a tesco store. We currently have a 10mile drive to the nearest large supermarket! The new tesco will not be in direct competition with many of the high street stores.
There has been a mass panic against the evils of Tesco, but there is no reason why the community shops and feel cannot exist alongside a large convenience store.
Lisa, Thank you for your comment direct from Manningree, much appreciated. I always feel both sides of an argument should be heard.
Should the question be:
Will shoppers ever say “No” to Tesco ?
The biggest motivational issue is parking.
The best we can hope for is a vying for competition between supermarkets to keep prices keen.
We all seem to be suckers for artificially generated demands in all areas of commerce and this has caused us to take our eye off the ball. We’re paying for it with our country.
“We’re paying for it with our country”
A tad too dramatic there on reflection. I sound like a Daily Mail reader.
I live in Manningtree and I’m all for a Tesco. I would be a great asset to the community and would bring more business to the smaller businesses on the highstreet. People need to think about the postives as well as the negatives.
how would all the so called local people who are pro tesco feel if it was being built in their front garden. 63 station road.
I moved to Manningtree about a year ago after living in a large town, and I absolutely love the way the high street bustles with people going about their business with the small independant shops, and it was indeed a large part of the attraction of the area.
I don’t think the issue here is specifically to do with a Tesco store being opened here, it would be the same with any supermarket. The site that Tesco own and are looking to gain permission on is located directly next to the existing co-op superstore in Manningtree. Any large supermarket in this location would have a serious impact on the existing supermarket which currently quite adequately serves the needs of the residents. As tesco and other supermarkets do what they do so well, it would be fairly safe to assume that they would be well stocked with a range of fruit and veg, fresh baked bread and cakes, flowers, gift cards and childrens toys – Instantly I can think of about ten shops in manningtee high street who would be in direct competition with Tescos for these goods. Assuming at least half of these shops find themselves forced to close because of flagging sales figures, that would have a devestating effect on the character of the town and high street. People do not visit a supermarket with a view to browse the other smaller shops in the area selling similar products, especially as they arrive in their cars, park at the supermarket car park and then drive straight off after they’ve bought what they need, so it is unrealistic to assume that a supermarket would drawn people into the area.
.
I can see why people would appreciate a better supermarket in Manningtree, however due to the location of the town, nearby two large towns, both with a number of large supermarkets, it is unreasonable to see that there is a need for another supermarket in manningtree.
Personally I am extremely concerned about the future of the high street should such a supermarket be permitted in manningtree. As a planning officer myself i am currently dealing with Tescos on a different application and am aware that they have adopted a ‘good neighbour’ policy which allows much more negotiation on applications, and tesco are now inclined to agree to various adaptations to applications to appease their neighbours providing they are not unreasonable. Whilst this is good to see from Tesco, i still do not believe that the integrity of the high street would remain should a store be permitted.
Jenny, thanks for your comment. I am heartened by your last paragraph about Tescos “good neighbour” policy. At the end of the day, they have to listen, despite their wealth and power, they also aspire to have respect and a good reputation – and that is priceless.
I hope it is not at the cost of losing those individual high street shops.
Tesco are too powerful as it is within the UK market – what level of monopoly do you want?.Do you really want such a lasy form of consumerism – they destroy local shops and business; there is a hugh amount of evidence!They call the shots on too many farm jobs and manufacturing – many are becoming more low paided – because Tesco have the power to do this.They lie about plans and future plans. Add to that the fact the ‘local consultation’ currently unway in manningtree has a large element of con. Tesco will offer a cash incentive to the local council – they will bend all the rules, because they have the power do to this. Is that what you want in exchange for somewhere to park are you really that lost in you own narrow world? You’ll be supporting corrupt corprate practice – but of couse some people only wake-up when the crap sits on their step or a ‘too late documentary’ is on the tele. I live in Manningtree – we have a market, a farm shop and local shops – at a time when all the rational opinion says the move to a sustainable local economy is vital, you say want more of the same!?!What daming indicment of shor-sighted self interest that takes almost no account of the future…Hail the new mono-culture – fat kids in fat cars full of rubbish…Every Little Hurts!!!
Oh – forgot to mention traffic! Manningtree is basically one road in and one road out. The Tesco proposal will turn the High Street and Station road into a car park! The rather insane traffic systen up at top of Station Road cant cope as it is. The level crossing and island at one end and Tescos ill thought out traffic ‘solution’ at the other will cause chaos…But at least you’ll have somewhere to park!
The Tesco Metro that we have at present said the roads are too small for large lorrys – so they brought large lorrys. they were turned down planning permission for a Cooler unit at the back of the store – lot of noise. so they built it anyway – and put up the retrosective planning application on the back of a lamp post. Mr.Kissman – tesco head Mr-Fix-It gets a nice little payment for pushing these through…And yes – he wont have one on his door-step because they cant be trusted.
Sorry its me again! I’ve just been to see Tescos plans and spoke to one of the planning consultants(bought in by Tesco to push it through – he lives in Chelsea!).He and their Mr.Kissman admitted there would be around an extra 1000 car a day!!! Station Road cannot cope with that level of traffic increase – the High street will be very seriously affected – traffic alone should stop this! The people living Op will be seriously affected.Tesco are paying a noise consultant to give them the results they want! This will not include car alarms ect.This plan should be stopped on traffic alone – let alone all the other issues!
Peter, Tesco’s application cannot be turned down because they are felt to be too powerful, it all comes down meeting the legal requirements and they have to meet the local planning regulations. I hope that local concerns will be taken into account and strong objectors should obviously collate their own evidence to support their case. Good luck.
Why not? There is certainly feeling that this level of ‘power’ or market share, needs to be considered as part of the Government Commision that has(and will!) been looking at supermarket and retail. Obviously Tesco have formed a strong attachment with the current government, doubtless they fear government will soon see them as too powerful.
Whatever ‘Good Neighbor’ tosh they adopt – they win because of their power. It allows them to buy in ‘reports’ ‘traffic consultants’ ‘enviromental noise assments’,and a whole host of stuff mostly very fav to Tesco. Councils dont fight often because of the cost of legal cases – they know the money and consequent power in Tesco’s hands.As a result they have the ability to push through borderline and sometimes destructive developments. In manningtree Tesco will have to win a ‘change of use for the land’ – a local business man tryed this – very modest plan a while ago.He couldnt – why – he’s not powerful enough. Tesco are currently buying up land to stop other developments – they have bought land on the suffolk side and another site a few miles from manningtree. They can offer money for a local community project – and this is what they do when things get tricky(some call it a grey area – others a bribe). The exhibition I went to in manningtree today would make any political spin-doctor blush. Its not that they are ‘felt’ to be too powerful Elle – they are far more clever that!
One of our local conservative Parish C’s councillor Kennith Edwards has a letter in the local paper viciously attacking two local women who have set up a public meeting to see what support there is for stopping Tesco in manningtree.
Fakenham comes to manningtree – only this time Tesco has an unlikely bully on their side.
Are standing councillors permitted to attack members of the public in this way? Doesnt the public have the right to hold a meeting?
Peter, Everyone is entitled to have their say, why not write a letter in reply outlining your views and the reasons why? I do not believe resorting to vicious attacks are necessary. Stay calm and stick to the facts.
The tide is turning against Tesco and its useless and corrupt ways. I dont think it matters if they bring in the planning ‘bullys’ like Martin Robeson and his kind. Through verygood sites like Elle’s and other web-sites – we can all see its more than just about ‘cheap’ food. As conservatives we should support local shops – the Tesco lot hate people who say no to them. look at Caroline Cranbrook she’s the sort of women we need running the party!
Hi Ellee.
I’m a Manningtree resident of 18 months but I have lived in the locality for 14 years and know and love the place.
The meeting called on 24th July at the Lawford Venture Centre to discuss the Tesco proposals was standing room only (250+) as people raised their concerns regarding the plans. One aspect which was raised continually was the poor perception of the existing COOP supermarket in the town – with many people feeling that if this were improved significantly then the ‘need’ (whether you agree with it or not) and therefore support for the Tesco would almost certainly diminish. The COOP DO have plans for improvements in Manningtree AND have made real progress in such locations as Mersea and Hadleigh (where revamps have provided those communities with much better choice and facilities).
My view is that the difference between the COOP plans (15,000 sq ft.) and the Tesco proposals (30,000 sq.ft. initially but, given their record, who knows! – they are calling this a ‘gateway development’ which is usually a euphemism for ‘we’ll start this size but probably get bigger once we’re in’) is that the COOP would aim to serve the local community whereas Tesco would doubtless be attempting to encourage people in from all over the Tendring Peninsula…and in from Shotley etc.
Those who know Manningtree know that traffic increases within this geographically ‘locked’ location would be a disaster and certainly cause mayhem – Tesco, naturally, would not care as long as they made their profits – doubtless at the expense of everything else in the locality. They are talking about a minimum of 300 cars per hour…but we know from other locations that this figure is typically under-estimated for obvious reasons.
As for jobs…well Tesco state 200 jobs will be created. But how many will be full/part time and how many jobs directly and indirectly connected to the local community will be lost as the money ploughs into the Tesco coffers and disappears out of the town and off to Tesco HQ far, far away.
So envisage this: an empty high street save for charity shops, choked with queueing, frustrated traffic trying to work its way through a mediaeval town – competing with traffic queueing in from the Station Road roundabout. And all this to ensure Tesco takes yet more of the share of the grocery market (currently at 34% nationally and rising). As the Tesco chairman Terry Leahy said when asked about the fact that Tesco take £1 from every £8 spent in this country…’that still leaves the other 7 to go for’. Be in no doubt what this proposal means for us…and it isn’t what Tesco would have you believe as they smile benignly at you through their sales pitch.
Out of the 24th July meeting, a group has been set up to fight for the soul of our little town. ‘Stour Community First’ will aim to provide a cogent, reasoned and positive argument against the inexorable rise of the clone townscape desired by Tesco and their ilk here in Lawford, Manningtree and Lawford. A key objective will be to achieve positive changes within existing local businesses (like the High Street and the existing COOP) so that they may come to serve the local community better.
[…] Protesters share the views as these angry protesters in Manningtree, England’s smallest town. Most importantly, communities want to have their say if they feel a new Tesco store would be detrimental to their area. […]
please forward to the manningtree/cambridge protestors
http://www.theecologist.org/archive_detail.asp?content_id=839
”Most importantly, communities want to have their say if they feel a new Tesco store would be detrimental to their area. […] ”
While we in Manningtree & Lawford are ‘having our say’ – Tesco are holding private discussions with Tendering District Council. Mr. Rolfe and his Parish Council are behaving in a very questionable manner; saying the ‘whole’ of Lawford wants the new Tesco is wrong.Briefing a sympathtic local journalist of a ‘plan’ to improve the. notorious traffic bottleneck (the level crossing),that creates ‘long car queues at rush hours’ and is very close to the Tesco site – is wrong.There is of course no plan to improve the only main road into the Tesco site, now or in the future! The smell of ”back-hander” hangs over our small town. The plans are not yet in – and all the signs are its already been agreed behind closed doors. Someone needs to say no to Tesco – backbone required!
Dear Ellee and all those who have posted,
I am doing GCSE Business Studies and am investigating the proposal for Manningtree Tesco. Please may I use some of the comments off this website to back up the point of why the planning application should be rejected.
All The Best
H
Helen, yes, feel free. And good luck.
Dear all
personally i feel u are all kicking a fuss up over nothing. Your protests are just ridiculous and in fairness i am sure even you know that resistance is futile.
We all know that if tesco do build a store then we will all shop there because is it cheaper. Furthermore the local fiveways store is useless. I am sure tescos would coperate with you as a town if you cut them some slack and tried to cooperate. Finally those of you who say that the excess noise is going to be a problem are just being ridiculous. Back in my time in manningtree there used to be a lorry park which will make equal if not more noise
in conclusion if tescos want to build a store there is not much we as a community can do to stop them.
i like helen am studying for gcse business and was also wandering if i could use some of your comments
seb
Sebastian, Of course, and good luck to you too.
OCuld i point out that i have recently posted a comment for the building of a tesco superstore in manningtree however the posting was deleted. This simpoly highlights how biased this is
Thank you very much
i am very appreciative.
Oh and good luck in the fight
when i was taking the surveys for the coursework
i was impressed with the community spirit
and how you were all pulling together
seb
Demitre, I think the comment you refer to wasn’t posted because it was waiting to be moderated, along with the others. Is it No 44? If not, do please send it through again in case it has gone astray somehow.
Demitre – its not just noise but volume of traffic that wont fit into area – among other things. Even Tesco accept this – they are trying to get the Highways Agency to pay a very large amount of money to improve the roads and the level-crossing. As this would invole closing the main rail line between Norwich and London, as well as a very important crossing point between Suffolk and Essex. Large budget works like this take years to get the green-light, and cost great deal of money. Money that would be better spent on other things – rather than bending over to help Tesco. And it wouldnt solve the traffic problems at the other end of Manningtree.
Tesco need to win a change of use for the to ”Retail”. The local Town plan sets this out.
Tendring district currently has a very dated Local Plan. This has been updated and has been through an independent examination process by a Government inspector on behalf of the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. The inspector then publishes their report which details their view on all of the representations made. This report for Tendring was published last month and will be adopted by the Council on 11th December.
the Inspector agreed with the Council and stated:
“I am not persuaded that a new convenience store is needed in Manningtree before 2011, or that a retail allocation should be made there.�
Now – Tesco will fight this. But they know they have lost the first round even before they put in their application.And given the very large number of local objections, and the fact Tesco cannot come up with a solution to the traffic problem. Tendering District Council are under a great deal of pressure to Turn down the Tesco application when comes. The Council may go against their own Town Plan – but again, with such a large number of objections from such a small town;( a local pressure group has a list of hundreds of people who are against it. To not take all this into account would show contempt for the local people. You are very wrong to say people should just roll-over and there is no point in fighting. Frinton have just the other day said no to a new Tesco. The number of planning application Tesco are losing is growing. Not all applications are bad, but this one is – and is well worth fighting against.
I moved to Manningtree a year ago, I used to live in the coutryside in Cambridgeshire but fell in love with this quaint little town on the coast and I thought ‘that is the nearest I will get to the country on the budget I could afford’.
When Tesco decided to open yet ANOTHER store, I was shocked. Co-op – right next door to the proposed site – are expanding to help shoppers get what they need. They have good ethical values and have good food too.
Why is everyone for Tesco coming here? We already have the small Tesco and there are loads of huge supermarkets within a stones throw away, I bet most of the people who are for Tesco drive past one on the way to work!
I will protest this, it will make it more commercial and the huge amounts of traffic will make Manningtree unbearable to live here. We live on quiet roads at the moment and it should stay that way. Why every town in the land should have a massive supermarket I have no idea. I get most of my shopping done on early Saturday mornings on the market then I visit our delightful little shops and then I come home – not even having touched a massive supermarket.
I thought these days everyone was for cheap, good and wholesome food – food which hasn’t flown round the world 9 times, been picked by small children for tuppence an hour and eventually reaches the most unhygienic and messy shelves of Tesco.
The cheap way to shop is the market and the small local shops we already have here. I used to shop in supermarkets but I get dragged in by offers of this and that – we all do – and then we come home with £100 of food and drink and half of which has to be thrown away becuase we possibly couldnt eat that much.
I know that where I live in the heart of Manningtree, every single neighbour has a poster up on their window so where these other Manningtree peaople a from I dont know, maybe they live in Lawford and get the two places confused.
I will fight, and so will my neighbours. We will protest and protest and protest. It is the most ridiculous proposal for something which is so unnessary. If you are that desperate to shop in big stores, do it online and save some petrol and the queues.
Thanks.
the reason they dont want tesco’s in manningtree, is because a handfull of people are still living in the past… all the small shops in manningtree have had it easy! a little bit of competition would do know harm!….Unless you want to buy a house, A soliciter.. or a bank theres not much else there.
Well i work in the co-op and i SAYYYY
BRING ON TESCOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I would say that to have a Tesco AND and a Co-op on this site is ridiculous – I think the sensible thing is to have one or the other. If Tesco really want the site then they should approach co-op with a very large offer to vacate and re-build and adapt the existing store. The Co-op is quite expensive and without some of the choices or shopping experience that Tesco might offer. To have in effect two supermarkets is just crazy.
It’s certainly not living in the past to say no to this daft idea.
The future of Manningtree,Lawford & Mistley will be damaged by the amount of traffic the Tesco would doubtless bring with it.If Tesco say it’ll be 800 cars an hout at peak times 0- we all know it’ll be a lot more.
Even the “pro” Tesco Lawford PC have now objected to it! I know these councilors well, and they say it wont work with our current road stystem.Tesco said a very firm “NO” when they were asks to stump-up some of the many millions to improve the level crossing and local roads. Improvements that, as otheres have said Ellee, would invole closing the main rail line to London!
Both local MP’s are now against it – Tim Yeo very clear and firmly objecting to it,and Bernard Jenkin has now come off he fence and described the plan in less than glowing terms! Hundreds of people have now sent objection letters. If it goes through, with most local people against it, a nasty wiff of corruption will hang over Tendering Distict Council for a very long time Ellee.
Hello Ellee
Just to keep you informed. Both local MP’s have now come out against the Tesco plan for Manningtree. Tim Yeo and(at last!) Bernard Jenkin.
All three local councils,Manningtree,Mistley and Lawford have objected to the plan. Yesterday the Enviroment Agency told the local press, that they have sent a nine page objection to the plan to Tendring Dis. Council.I’m told by the planning dept. they’ve had a very lage amount of objection letters – the most they’ve every had for a local planning issue.
In a comic turn of events.The very small ‘pro’ Tesco group are going around saying that there will be ‘Travellers’ camp put on the site if Tesco’s plans are rejected!As the local builder who is trying to sell the land is very angry people are objecting to the Tesco plan.
It is very hard to see how the plans can go through, given the quality and large numbers of objections.
Keep well Ellee
regards Peter