TESCO Fuck Off From Sheffield (stage two)

underclassrising.net | 01.07.2010 12:37 | Sheffield

The decision came through this week on the appeal by Tesco against Sheffield City Council’s planning decision refusing permission to erect a two-storey building on the site of 218 Springvale Road, formerly belonging to Hollies Filling Station.

The Appeal was rejected. The main grounds for the decision were road safety, parking concerns and lack of any need for such a store. Planning Inspector Wildsmith also made reference to the effect on the local economy of a further chain store being sited in the Walkley Commonside area. There is now a limited time for Tesco to appeal Wildsmith’s decision, if they believe they have a legal argument, by going to the Administrative Court in London.

In 2006, Friends of the Earth submitted a report accusing Tesco of “manipulating the planning system” and “leaving councillors powerless” in its plans to expand the number of stores across the UK – a corporate strategy that has sparked controversy. Apparently not satisfied with having two stores already situated within easy reach of the area, Tesco is now appealing Sheffield City Council’s decision of 8th July 2009 to reject its application to build a further convenience store at Commonside.

Tesco originally applied in March 2009 to erect a two-storey building on the site of 218 Springvale Road, formerly belonging to Hollies Filling Station.Statutory consultation attracted written representations from hostile locals including letters, a petition signed by nearly 1,700 people and an objection by Cllr Paul Scriven (Leader of Sheffield City Council).

Opponents’ worries included:

Unfair competition against local retailers, potentially pushing them out of business. These include a bakery, florist, greengrocer, newsagent, off-licence, wholefoods cooperative and more.

Money draining out of the local community and Tesco, a national chain store, not being accountable to the local community.

Increased traffic – including large delivery vehicles – in an area where there is a five-road junction and a nearby primary school.

Increased air pollution and heightened risk of road accidents.

Existing pressure on local retailers from the nearby Cooperative store.

Sheffield City Council’s refusal of the application was primarily due to the residential nature of the area, noise issues and increased traffic concerns.

Tesco filed its appeal against the decision on 6th January 2010 meanwhile more protests are being lodged over plans for Tesco to exapnd it,s Abbydale Road store. with the council mainly over the predicted effect on traffic and established shopping areas. More than 60 comments have been made within the first couple of weeks of the plans being announced, a large majority urging the authority to reject the scheme that would add a mezzanine level to the existing premises.

Reaction is flooding in to the council in response to the application, which would take total sales space from 43,580 sq ft to 77,289 sq ft, and add 228 parking spaces, which Tesco says is in response to customer demand.

So another one bites the dust planning application no 09/00745/FUL has now been rejected by Inspector Wildsmith this is very much a victory for the local community and no doubt along will come some people claiming this a victory for blah f-ing blah, no this a long hard won campaign from local people, meanwhile it seems much the same for there plans at Abbydale and with there plans on hold for another Tesco at Spital Hill, residents on West Street taking Direct Action and blocking trucks who arrive or stay over the time given for them to unload, life for Tescos in Sheffield is getting somewhat hard here are 5 things you ought to know about Tesco superstore:

1. TESCO does not provide good jobs for local people. TESCO supermarket jobs are low paying, have long hours and shop stewards have reported trouble in getting workers on to company pensions schemes. TESCO has categorically stated for past Sheffield developments that it does not intend to hire its “high skilled” (and higher paying) labour from the local area.

2.TESCO is bad for the environment. TESCO transports millions of tonnes of produce around the world, contributing to climate change through transport emissions. A 2005 Friends of the Earth survey found that TESCO came lowest out of the supermarket chains for sourcing British apples. TESCO stores are also the most environmentally inefficient in the sector.

3. TESCO exploits workers worldwide. Women in Bangladesh making clothes for TESCO and ASDA earn as little as 5p an hour working 14 hours a day. Workers in Costa Rica producing bananas for export to all major UK supermarkets earn 33p an hour – a wage so low that they cannot afford to take an hour off when dangerous pesticides are being sprayed on the crops. There are countless other examples of TESCO’s negligence towards its workers poverty wages, poor working conditions and supplier’s union-busting campaigns.

4. TESCO kills community life. Despite its commitment towards “community sponsorship”, TESCO has a poor record working with communities. TESCO creates neither choice nor convenience. It removes the diversity of social life outside the superstore and clutters the streets with waste and traffi c. The corporation uses its disproportionate (and unchecked) economic power to manipulate political influence and regional control to its own shareholders ends.

TESCO already has five other stores within walking distance – West Street, Infirmary Road, Fulwood Road, Southey and Ecclesall (not to mention other companies)

All of this there has never a good reason to shop there, see