DOUBLE-CLICK ON THE PICTURE FOR A CLOSER LOOKLoads of people are popping into Tesco's Brigg store today to view the plans for the new and much bigger replacement. The retail giant is promising about 100 new jobs "for local people" plus additional ranges of food, groceries, homeware and kitchenware. "Additional" car parking is also earmarked. Leaflets are being given away containing a map of the proposed development, with supporting information. Staff are also on hand to answer questions.
EVERYONE WELCOMES SO MANY NEW JOBS - GREAT FOR THE AREA IN THESE TOUGH ECONOMIC TIMES. IT'S A FEATHER IN THE OLD MARKET TOWN'S CAP, ALSO, THAT SUCH A FAMOUS FIRM SEES BRIGG AS WORTHY OF A MAJOR INVESTMENT.
An as yet unexplained issue, though, is traffic flow. According to the map unveiled to the public today, the access and exit point for vehicles is to be Cary Lane. Currently, an average of just three vehicles make it out of Cary Lane, via the traffic lights, before the sequence changes. What sort of traffic jams will we get if that remains as it is? Both backing up to the store and Spring's Parade and also down Barnard Avenue. For altering the settings of the lights in favour of Cary Lane must be at the expense of motorists on the main A18 (Barnard Avenue). I've just left Tesco and returned along Barnard Avenue and traffic was backed up beyond The Monument onto Bigby Road, beyond the St Helen's Road junction. And that's with the traffic lights set as they are to allow just a handful of cars out of Cary Lane!
If you aren't up to speed with what's happening, Lidl's existing store is coming down and they want to build a new one, near the roundabout at the top of Atherton Way (previously featured at length on Brigg Blog). Tesco will take over the existing Lidl site, keep its own and build much larger premises. The Tesco petrol station will stay where it is, keeping the existing exit off Barnard Avenue, which will also be the route for the new store's goods deliveries.
At the other end of the site, the map suggests the small car park near the shops in Spring's Parade will be given over almost entirely to disabled parking and spaces for parents with small children. Not good news for the shops in this row and their regular customers.
The first stage in the planning process will be for Brigg Town Council to comment later this month, following which North Lincolnshire Council, as the planning authority, must decide whether to grant permission on this major application and what conditions it wishes to impose.
It's hard to see anything other than approval being given, but what will our elected representatives make of the traffic congestion concerns along Barnard Avenue? Perhaps they won't see it as a major issue.
Understandably, many small Brigg businesses will be very worried about Tesco getting bigger and selling a wider range of goods. Yes, Tesco will definitely bring more shoppers into Brigg. But how many of them will venture "into town" once they've parked for free at the new store? Not a valid reason to refuse planning permission for this development, but an issue for some locals, certainly.
Tesco is stressing today that it wants you to Have Your Say. If you pop in and collect a leaflet, it contains a tear-off section at the back for residents' views. On the reverse side is Freepost franking, so no need for a stamp. If you can't make it and require further information, write to Matt Magee, Tesco Head Office, Delamare Road, Cheshunt, Herts, EN8 9SL.
The map shown here is a representation within the leaflet and not necessarily the one going in with the official planning application. Sharp-eyed Brigg Blog followers will spot, for example, that the traffic lights are not shown at the junction of Barnard Avenue and Cary Lane. We hope Tesco don't mind us scanning their document and reproducing it here. Time will tell, but it's now in the public domain and we haven't spotted a copyright symbol! Lidl management were delighted for Brigg Blog to use their new store leaflet information - so much so that they got one of their head office staff to email us 'the fully Monty'.
And finally... Congratulations to Tesco management, staff and customers today for the way they announced, and observed, the required period of silence, in memory of our war dead, at 11am on the 11th day of the 11th month.
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4 comments:
Interesting, I'll probably look at the plans more closely on the planning portal. Are they up yet?
I'm one of these people who are not best pleased with the likes of Tesco, but if we already have a store, the question is whether this will be an improvement. I can see in some ways it might be, though in other ways not.
Lastly, the "100 new jobs" thing is always a bit of a fib as it counts part time staff and ignores effects on employment elsewhere. They really ought to say how many full time equivalent jobs it will create, and also try to estimate how much new money it will bring into the Brigg economy (I actually think it will, but they should be clearer).
Sova -
1) The application is not yet lodged with North Lincolnshire Council for planning portal purposes.
2) Can't see how Tesco could know how many jobs might go elsewhere, if any. Fair point about full-time equivalent jobs but so many posts with so many employers are less than 35/40 hours a week these days that Tesco's not out of step with other firms mentioning new jobs.
Info: job offering 16hrs or more a week is counted as full-time. I assume these jobs to be min-wage, or similar.
There are a number of unanswered questions. For example, Spings Way is integrated into the Tesco complex, but the road, although technically is not part of NLC Highways Dept, is still owned by NLC (ie publicly owned).
In addition, the issue re Market Lane - originally a route from Market Place (or Wrawby Street), that gave access vehicular to dwellings,a farm, alloments, the old gas works and the old cattle market (now part of Tesco's car) park and extended to a dyke, now represented by part of Barnard Ave.
Since NLC are unable to answer the simple question of whether the remaining section of Market Lane (running alongside GSA (the old Smith Parkies), can someone, in the meantime inform me why NLC is illuminating the lane with an old, but working NLC sodium bracket lamp?
Is it policy to illuminate private areas at public expense? If so, please can NLC arrange for me to have a lamp to add extra security to my garden? Ta, in advance.
Other questions to ponder: where will the over-night HGV's (presently parking at the rear of Lidl's) go? One can pretend ignore the problem, or be proactive.
How will the Shops in Spring Parade receive deliveries?
Has anyone thought about the bus stop in Cary Lane? Potentially, one can expect Cary Lane to become a heavy trafficked route with buses turning round.
Finally, has Tesco bought any other land which is not defined in the plan?
At times, large conglomerates buy any adjacent available land to stifle competition; safeguard future expansion; to be able to dictate how land will be used.
2) Can't see how Tesco could know how many jobs might go elsewhere, if any. Fair point about full-time equivalent jobs but so many posts with so many employers are less than 35/40 hours a week these days that Tesco's not out of step with other firms mentioning new jobs.
Sure, it's not easy to measure the impact that an expanded Tesco would have on surrounding retail, but it's not impossible to estimate either. Tesco (and others) have opened enough stores in enough towns to have an idea how much of their income will be new to the town, and how much is existing but redirected from elsewhere. I don't disagree with their right to compete and make money at the expense of others, but if they want us to welcome their store because of the economic benefits it will bring, then their profits are not what counts.
I understand that the growth of part time work is not just Tesco, but it doesn't mean that we shouldn't ask for better information. Regardless of how many people work part time, 16 hours a week is not enough to live on at such low pay. Again, it's really about us as citizens being informed enough as to whether this new store should be welcomed.
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