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STOP! has STOPP-ed TESCO! An official communication from Tesco management to their employees at their Weybridge Distribution Centre confirms that Tesco ‘no longer plan to move’ to the Andover Airfield site. The note clearly states that this is due to the conditions that have been imposed on the site through the S106 legal agreement that has now been signed – hard fought for and won by STOP! and its supporter base. So thank you all for your help in reaching this point. However, we now know that another planning application for a distribution centre will be submitted soon by Goodman with a new tenant – the Co-op! What we know so far is that the proposed Co-op Shed at 468,000 sq ft is less than half the size of the Tesco MEGAshed and that the projected daily HGV movements are 600 a day (compared to Tesco’s1460), that it will be a 24/7/365 operation with a refrigeration unit to be built at the northern end closest to the A303. Before a detailed application is submitted public consultations will take place which we welcome and we urge everyone to attend. We will send you details of dates and times as soon as we know. Despite the reduction in size of the possible new Co-op shed, we know there will be concerns regarding landscape, design, noise and environmental impact, which we will help ensure are addressed. Goodman have issued a media release (Thurs 10 Sept) which states that not only have they have concluded an agreement with the Co-op but that they will be redrawing plans for the rest of the site to include ‘a range of smaller buildings’. STOP! welcomes this statement as it implies that Goodman envisage a mix of structures and business usage on the rest of site, despite the fact that draft plans that we have seen label all the other buildings on the site as warehousing and which total in excess of 570,000 sq ft. Interestingly Goodman refer in their press release to ‘Andover Commercial Park’ and in their draft plans to ‘Andover Airfield Business Park’ – a significant change from the Andover Logistics Park title being used by the developer in previous months STOP! on your behalf - and with your on-going support - look forward to receiving further information on this specific development, understanding Goodman’s plans for the rest of the site, and to keeping you informed of developments. Our position remains unchanged – we want a mixed Business Park on the Airfield, as originally planned, which will provide the mix and quality of jobs that Andover needs! So – watch this space! |
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