Press Release June 4th 2008

GOODMANS HAVE HAD TO AGREE ONEROUS RESTRICTIONS ON HGV MOVEMENTS AND MONITORING SYSTEMS WITH HIGHWAYS AGENCY & HANTS COUNTY COUNCIL ON AIRFIELD PLAN

“Whilst it is claimed that an agreement has been reached on HGV traffic, what Goodmans has not revealed is the onerous conditions imposed by the Highways Agency to restrict traffic generation from and to Andover Airfield site and thus help address the significant concerns expressed by the Highways Agency and Hants County Council on safety and congestion on the A303 and the local road network.

Neither has Goodman revealed whether Tesco are happy with the restrictions placed on the number of HGVs they can operate out of the site, or the heavy fines to be imposed if HGV movements are exceeded.

Neither at this point in time do we know whether TVBC will accept these conditions as being stringent enough to protect the citizens for whom and the area to which they are accountable.

STOP! and all others concerned about traffic generation, safety and congestion will rigorously examine the suggested restrictions and seek to ensure that these are extended where appropriate and enforced.. Important issues remain such as who does the monitoring to ensure HGV movements are not exceeded, and who pays as much of the bill will, in reality, be picked up by local tax-payers. The proposed CCTV camera system may be suitable for central London or a port or railhead – but not for rural Hampshire.

The overall concerns of 6,500 petitioners, 2,500+ letter-writers and 30 Parish Councils regarding the well-documented cumulative negative impact of the proposed Goodman development remain. Whilst traffic generation, particularly of HGVs, is a key concern it is just one of many. The STOP! Alliance will continue to campaign to stop this over-sized and out-of-place development and its negative impact on this rural area of Hampshire, on the lives of all who live and work in and around Andover, and those who travel on the A303 (many en route for holidays) and the surrounding road network.

Additionally, the cumulative negative impact of this development is not outweighed by any benefit claimed by Goodman for local jobs and local investment.

The promise of 2,000 jobs for local people is a myth. The TESCO part of the development is currently promising 900 of those jobs to local people but insiders from other Tesco MEGAsheds tell us that 70% of staff employed are agency staff, many from overseas. Senior posts will go to experienced people from the TESCO Distribution Centres that are to close. Data from other TESCO sites such as Goole show us that whilst 900 jobs may be promised at planning in reality around 400 jobs are generated.

The remaining 1,100 jobs promised by Goodman for Phase 2 may never materialize as the Hotel and small business units could, according to Goodman’s own planning documents, never be built.  More likely is yet another MEGAshed with just 400 jobs and indeed Goodman are already advertising the Airfield as the Andover Airfield Logistics Park with 1,8 million sq meters of B8, 10  times the amount agreed at outline planning.

None of the £120 million claimed investment into the local economy as far as we are aware has been converted into contracts or work for local companies. Goodman and TESCO work with their preferred national suppliers and that will continue.

Recent letters from and personal visits to the village of Fradley, the village where the Goodman and TESCO Lichfield MEGAshed is sited, reveal an on-going ‘nightmare situation’ with dangerous and congested roads, foreign drivers becoming stuck in narrow lanes, full and filthy laybys, illegal and overnight parking and a significant negative impact on the quality of life of all who live in and around the site. TESCO has constantly failed to live up to their promises to address these problems.

STOP! on behalf of and with many other concerned Andover residents continues to fight against this over-sized plan and its cumulative negative impact dominated by B8 MEGAsheds and to demand the mixed business park agreed by consensus by the public, politicians and TVBC. We do not want to be in a position to say ‘We told you so!’ if the reality of this planned MEGAshed site hits home!”

Rhonda Smith

for and on behalf of the STOP! Alliance

www.stopmegasheds.co.uk