8th December - Plans are now in and documentation available online.

Letters of objection are needed in volume if we are to prevent this application, which includes a 166,847 sq. ft Tesco Mega Store.  That is around the same size as the Eastlands Asda and approximately 6 times the size of the PC World store across the road from the site.  The proposed non-food floor space (referred to as comparison goods) is larger than food floorspace which will create problems for a wide range of local independent shops.  In 2006 the planning inspector said this in relation to this aspect of these very large Tesco stores:

“I am concerned about the effect the proposals would have on town, district and local centres. The estimates [provided by developers] show a very low percentage impact on these centres. Yet in visiting centres and having observed in turn their physical state, the nature and range of shops, and the level of pedestrian activity, I regard the predicted impact figures to be unsatisfactory as a realistic indicator of impact. A rational and common sense assessment as advocated elsewhere in the case for the appellants in interpreting other figures, leads me to believe that the impact on the centres would be much greater than the figures produced show. This is due to the scale of both proposals and the range and volume of the comparison goods offered for sale in the Tesco Extra format: a range that consistently evolves and expands.
(Planning Inspectors decision, 2006, Para 44 p. 9)

That statement related to a store which was 88,095 sq. feet in size (refused).

This proposal has:

Convenience goods: 4282 sq. m - 46,091 sq. ft.

Comparison goods: 5026 sq. m. - 54,099 sq. ft. 

Write in now quoting planning reference 74393/FULL/2009:

If you live in Manchester:
- write to your local councillor and MP and request that they raise the application within the Council. We need the Manchester City Council to submit a detailed objection – this will only happen if enough people put pressure on their local councillors. Write now, please!

If you live in Manchester (or Trafford)
- write to the Chief Planning Officer registering your personal objections to the plans.  CC your letter to your local councillors and MP, and the Regional Planning officer. Write now, please!

You can write by email to: Simon.Castle@trafford.gov.uk or by post to
Simon Castle, Chief Planning Officer, Planning and Development Control, PO Box 96. Waterside House, Sale Waterside, Tatton Road, Sale, M33 7ZF

We will be adding more information to the web site on what can be included in letters of objection, so check back soon. See also www.nomegatesco.org.uk

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5th November - you've guessed it - yet another weeks delay.  Don't hold your breath!

29th October - this week Tesco delivered part of their planning application, but not all of it, so it will be next week before the documents will be publically available - even without further delay.  

They did not submit them on 21st October as expected - and despite a lot of media interest Tesco, LCCC or the Council would comment on the delay. Keep watching this space!

14th October The latest news is that a planning application is expected on 21 October. Pre-planning consultation events held in the summer suggest that the application will be for a store of around 140,000 sq feet. 

This will make the proposed store one of the largest in the UK, will be 50% larger than the plans which were rejected in 2006 at a planning inquiry and are widely opposed within the local community.  Local residents say they want a supermarket but did not want one that was 89,000 sq. foot so certainly do not want one even bigger.

Swift letters of objection will be required if we are to stand any chance of preventing this from happening, as Trafford Council have indicated that they support the new plans; largely because this time its linked to the re-development of Lancashire County Cricket Club.

If you'd like to be kept informed of any action needed please email NoMegaTesco@googlemail.com and we will add your name to the campaign's email list for updates.