Thursday 3 February 2011

Plans for Arlington and Tescos

Plans are now online for Tesco's at Arlington. You can view at TDC's offices or online at UK Planning.
Search under the application number:
F/TH/10/1061

The plans are quite big so might be better to view in hardcopy. I'll comment back when I've looked in more detail.

In the meantime, TDC's press dept released a joyous press release about the site. No mention of the impact on local businesses, traffic, visual impact of such a huge store in close proximity to Margate's main asset, the main sands. Let's not forget the impact of supermarkets on towns.


Sent: Wednesday, February 02, 2011 10:50 AM
Subject: Plans in for new superstore in Margate


Plans have been submitted for a new retail superstore next to Arlington
House in Margate.

The application is for a superstore, which would be built on the
existing car park. A total of 409 new parking spaces would be provided
at the ground floor level, with the store located above. Because the
shopping area is at the first floor level, the building includes a large
front lobby to enable customers to get to the store, and a raised
platform for lorry deliveries. Neither of these are usually required
with ground floor stores.

The shopping area of the store is similar in size to the existing Tesco
at Manston Road, Ramsgate. In total, including delivery areas and the
entrance lobby, the store would be 7,565 square metres.

The store is expected to bring 300 jobs to the area, according to
information submitted as part of the application.

The application also includes improvements to Arlington House,
including new windows, repairing and treating the concrete panels, new
lighting and a roof canopy on top of the building. The existing retail
units in Arlington Square would be demolished and replaced with new
shops, cafes, restaurants or bars, with a hotel above. The ground floor
of Arlington House would become either shops, a cafe, restaurant, bar or
community facility such as a doctor's surgery.

Details of the application are available on the council's website using
UK Planning under reference number 10/1061. The plans can also be viewed
by visiting Thanet's Gateway Plus in Cecil Street, Margate from 9am to
6pm, Monday to Friday, with extended opening until 8pm on Thursdays.
Thanet's Gateway Plus is also open from 9am to 5pm on Saturdays.

The deadline for comments to be received is 28 February 2011. Comments
should be sent to planning.services@thanet.gov.uk The application will
be considered by the council’s Planning Committee in spring 2011.

ENDS



Hannah Thorpe
Corporate Communications and Marketing Officer
Thanet District Council
www.thanet.gov.uk
Direct Dial: 01843 577120
Fax: 01843 296866"


9 comments:

  1. "No mention of the impact on local businesses"

    What local businesses? When I moved to Westbrook in 1999 we had a post office, butchers, bakers, fishmongers & greengrocers (& the bank had only recently closed); at the time a Tesco would've been devastating, but now all of the above have gone. Anyway, having a big store can also attract custom to other stores (when I very occasionally visit Tesco in Westwood Cross I also generally cross the road & browse the book & record shops, but I'm unlikely to visit Westwood Cross just for these).

    "traffic"

    There's been claims that this will bring more lorries thundering along Margate seafront, but where will their deliveries come from? Presumably from outside Thanet, ie the Birchington / Westgate direction (& if it really is going to close businesses in Margate town centre then the effect will actually reduce traffic along the seafront).

    "visual impact of such a huge store in close proximity to Margate's main asset, the main sands."

    Looking at the plans, the store will be around the corner (opposite the station), & won't even be visable from the sands...& even if it was, the ugly 200 ft building next to it looks far worse, & literally casts a shadow over the sands during winter months.

    "Let's not forget the impact of supermarkets on towns."

    You mean Morrisons? So one big chain store may (or may not) force the closure of another, hardly the end of the world, or even the end of Margate. Most of the people around here seem to shop in Westwood Cross anyway (either Tesco or Asda), so if anything it will bring more people to Margate again.

    To those who insists that local people don't want this, I suggest they just let people vote with their feet (or their cars). If they really don't want it then it will be a failure...

    I personally will use it for my main shopping (instead of other big supermarkets further afield that require a bus or taxi), but it won't stop me from using other smaller stores in Margate, Westbrook, Birchington, etc.

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  2. Peter, in Margate, which I believe is "in the real world", we still have a butcher, a post Office and a Greengrocer, and a camera shop and loads of new businesses that have opened over the last year.
    They survived the opening of Westwood Cross.
    At College square, we also have a perfectly decent Morisons, an Island etc, 5 minutes walk from the proposed Tesco and with ample car parking space.

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  3. What a monster! Looks like it it was conceived to sit in an out of town industrial estate. The sign is big enough to be seen from outer space.

    It would be a horrendous thing to dump on the gateway to Margate. I don't mind a supermarket, a "metro" town size supermarket, but this is horrendous!

    TESCO, PLEASE GO AWAY!

    FRESHWATER: I WISH YOU WERE NEVER HERE!

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  4. Tesco in the Pfizer building?

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  5. "What a monster! Looks like it it was conceived to sit in an out of town industrial estate."

    Many are saying similar things about a new building near the harbour...

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  6. Dont normally agree with you Peter,but you are spot on.This will turn what looks like a slum at mo into something really good,and Arlington being "done up"is fantastic news!Also as peter says ther are NO shops in westbrook Tesco will effect.Bring it on!

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  7. Thanks 15:06, glad I'm not the only one who can see the positive side to this.

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  8. Loads of local people love the New Turner building, sorry Peter i know you cant stand that idea.

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  9. The "idea" is fine by me; it's just the ridiculous costs involved, the over-optimism & the fact that the design is totally wrong & out of scale for that part of the town. I also object to such minority interest projects such as sponsored walks being paid for out of our money.

    It's ridiculous trying to compare the Tesco building to this; one is a very expensive art gallery, & the other is a free supermarket.

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