The Plans Are In

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Plans for a new Tesco in Sheringham have been submitted to North Norfolk District Council.  If approved, the store will bring good value food shopping, saving money on every basket and offer the choice of food which local people have to leave town to find at the moment.  It will also offer around 150 jobs, both full time and part time.

Since announcing the new plans at the start of 2009, 1,500 people have got in touch with Tesco to say they want a new store, including 400 joining an independent Facebook group, “We Want a Tesco in Sheringham” – you visit it by clicking here.  It’s clear that a large part of the community does want a store in Sheringham.

 

First-class designs

World-class architects Wilkinson Eyre have put the plans together; they have designed award winning buildings such as the National Waterfront Museum in Swansea, the Liverpool Arena and Convention Centre and the ‘Winking Eye’ Millennium Bridge in Gateshead.  The new store will be unique to Sheringham, using local materials such as flint and wood, alongside an attractive modern design and energy-saving green technologies.

The Tesco will be very close to Station Road and with three hours of free car parking, will attract people to town and maximise the number who visit other local stores – many don’t visit at all in their shopping trips and their spending across Sheringham will help other businesses.

The plans also include a new fire station and community centre for Sheringham, built before the store opens and there will be a Tesco Community Champion at the store, dedicated to working with the community and supporting local groups.

 

Good value food shopping and choice

The Tesco will also be smaller than our previous proposals, but will be large enough to offer the selection of value for money food and groceries that local people need in order to be able to do their shopping close to home, rather than driving out of town to other supermarkets – it will also be big enough to attract visitors and tourists that are currently forced to go elsewhere.

It’s encouraging to know that in addition to local people’s backing a new store, when the Planning Inspector reported on the last Tesco proposal in September 2008, she confirmed that there is a ‘need’ for a store in town in terms of town planning policies, she also confirmed the best available location was on Cromer Road where the Tesco is proposed.

 

What happens now?

Once the plans are submitted, they will be reviewed by planning officers before councillors on the Development Control Committee vote on whether the store should go ahead. 

It can take a while for this to happen, though the council has a target to make a decision 13 weeks from when the plans were submitted (about mid November).

 

Local support is vital

There has been an overwhelming amount of support for the plans, but if they are to be approved, it is vital that people tell the council, and their local councillors what they think.  Without this the plans may not go ahead. You can find out how to have your say here.