Villagers' fury as Government rules Sainsbury's can build in Greasby

3:50pm Friday 5th October 2012 in News Exclusive By Craig Manning

Cllr Mike Hornby and traders' association chairman John Smith near the site Cllr Mike Hornby and traders' association chairman John Smith near the site

CAMPAIGNERS have lost their fight to prevent the building of a Sainsbury’s Local store in Greasby after a Government ruling.

Traders, councillors and householders in the village say their views have been ignored after the supermarket giant was given permission by the planning inspectorate to build on the car park of the Red Cat, which is owned by pub chain Greene King.

All three of Greasby’s Conservative ward councillors have attacked the decision.

Two protest meetings were attended by more than 500 people and hundreds of letters of objection have been written. More than 4000 people signed a petition opposing the scheme. The application was also rejected by Wirral's own planning officers.

But now Greasby residents have learned Bristol-based planning inspectorate, a Government body, has found in favour of Greene King and Sainsbury's, giving the scheme the go-ahead.

Karen Gorbert from nearby Lewis Butchers, said local traders are “fuming”.

She told the Globe: “The planning inspectorate just has not listened to us. Building a Sainsbury’s store could have a serious affect on local trade.”

Ward councillor Mike Hornby said: “There is no direct right of appeal against this decision and therefore the people of Greasby have to accept a development which, in the main, they do not want.

“This is surely wrong and is against the spirit of the new localism and community interest and shows yet again the lottery which seems to revolve around planning rules and regulations.”

His colleague, Cllr Tony Cox, said: “I feel the inspectorate has ridden roughshod over the people of Greasby and I feel extremely let down by the system.

“I would remind residents that the success or failure of any retail outlet depends on individuals shopping there.”

And councillor Wendy Clements said: “We are all extremely disappointed by the outcome of this appeal. Opposition to this plan has drawn many parts of the community in Greasby together.”

John Smith, chairman of the village traders’ association, said: “The big fear is the effect this new development will have on trade in the village. Our concerns have been completely ignored.”

A Greene King spokesman said: “We believe this will help cement the area firmly at the heart of the community, attracting jobs and providing more amenities for the benefit of local people."

Comments(27)

Ben Beaconsfield says...
5:41pm Fri 5 Oct 12

Greene King says: “We believe this will help cement the area firmly at the heart of the community, attracting jobs and providing more amenities for the benefit of local people."

If they support this development for purely altruistic reasons, I'll eat my hat.

Local residents have it within their power to boycott the Red Cat and see what Greene King think then.

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Hugo1008 says...
8:16pm Fri 5 Oct 12

This is only the tip of the iceberg, just wait until your parks and gardens plus any large house with a garden or paddock come in for demolition and rebuilding of flats.
And they are all lined up for the so called posh parts of the peninsular.
Hoylake, West Kirby, Pensby, Heswall, and Gayton.

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Positive thinker says...
9:00pm Fri 5 Oct 12

I can't believe for one minute that
anyone thought that Sainsburys wouldn't get planning permission

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WirralAl says...
9:06pm Fri 5 Oct 12

Great news for more low paid jobs that will ruin long established businesses.

Unbelievable supermarkets have such power.

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bigfoot says...
10:34pm Fri 5 Oct 12

The jobs it will create will be part time minimum wage and why when there is a mega Sainsburys a mile or 2 away.The supermarkets pay less business rate than the corner shop!
The planning inspectorate probably never visited the site. They are no better than the ones who 'cocked up' the West Coast mainline contract.
Perhaps they have better freebiers and 'bungs' than the others.

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davr0s says...
11:05am Sat 6 Oct 12

The opponents seem to be missing the point that if the people of Greasby really don't want a Sainsbury's, they will continue to shop in the existing stores, which will stay open.

If, on the other hand, it turns out once it's open that they find it much more convenient to buy everything from one place, often at lower prices as supermarkets can buy in bulk, then they'll go to Sainsbury's, stores that are no longer necessary will close because there is no longer a use for them.

It's supply and demand, basic economics!

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Positive thinker says...
11:37am Sat 6 Oct 12

Well put DaveOs,only time will tell

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red devil says...
4:47pm Sat 6 Oct 12

OK boycott the place - easy

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JADEE1 says...
9:27pm Sat 6 Oct 12

wait till they start building the new greasby council estate,and yes its going to be called,,the greasby estate wirral ,nice ring dont you think,,i thought ALDI or LiDOL was going to build on the cat site,,the back handers must have been more from ,good old sainsburys,!!.

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Fungy says...
2:51am Sun 7 Oct 12

this is what happens when you relax the planning laws. But whats the fuss about. this is going to be put opposite the existing co-op. Surely it just gives customers more choice. co-op will see their profits fall too but dont think any of the other stores will be too badly affected, any more than they are by having a co-op there at the moment

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Positive thinker says...
10:59am Sun 7 Oct 12

Can't believe it took so long for a certain person to come out with the usual garbage,when will they realise big organisations don't give back handers,they get planning consent for one reason employment and what they put back into the system we would be a lot worse of without them

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red devil says...
5:04pm Sun 7 Oct 12

In view of the fact that there is such a large Sainsbury's not far away, I may be cynical but - did Sainsbury's get a whiff of a competitor moving in and gazumped the land??? I could believe it knowing their greed.

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JADEE1 says...
7:38pm Sun 7 Oct 12

spot on red devil ALDI do the same ,they will buy any, land to squeeze out competion ,even if they cant get planning consent to build on it ,!! ,so your not cynical atall,, its simply greed vrs,greed,,..!!& nothing to do with what the public want or need .!!

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Marjestic says...
12:50am Mon 8 Oct 12

I seem to remember a big fuss being created when the big Sainsburys opened in Upton. Strange that the very people who complained all seem to find it very convenient to shop there. I would suggest to the good folk of Greasby that they embrace the freedom of choice another supermarket offers. They might also take comfort in the knowledge that nobody will be knocking on their doors and frog marching them down to the new Sainsbury's to do their weekly shop.

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Positive thinker says...
7:28am Mon 8 Oct 12

Marjestic,it's the same whenever Tesco's come to town but all of a sudden when they open the people wonder how they made do without them.Claughton Village was a prime example there was an application that got refused in Noctorum on a site of a disused petrol station i can't understand why

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Ben Beaconsfield says...
8:33am Mon 8 Oct 12

I have personal knowledge of the Tesco application in Noctorum, Positive thinker.

The plans were turned down by the Planning Committee and then a Tesco appeal was turned down by a Planning Inspector purely and simply because it would have been inappropriate to build a store of the size and shape involved on that particular site.

Tesco didn't help themselves by their 'disingenuous' support arguments, incidentally.

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Positive thinker says...
9:07am Mon 8 Oct 12

Ben,I wasn't aware of the grounds it
got refused on would it be a case if someone else came along with a revised scheme for retail it would get the green light,how I saw it when it got refused was the local shop keeper who it would effect the most stamped his feet,if that was the case I can't understand why the newly opened one
just along from TRFC was granted permission directly next door to a similar store

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pooboy says...
12:28pm Tue 9 Oct 12

Where's my comment gone?
SO MUCH FOR FREE SPEECH WIRRAL GLOBE!!

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CHB says...
4:31pm Tue 9 Oct 12

When the new store opens, I will be there to fill up a wheelie shopping trolly to the brim, leave it at the checkout and walk out of the store. I urge others whose views have been ignored to do the same, perhaps on a regular co-ordinated day once or twice a week.

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Positive thinker says...
6:04pm Tue 9 Oct 12

CHB do you think for one minute that will bother them? About 5 years ago Tesco's opened a shop in Moreton some drove a car through the shutters and set it alight,lots of damage back open two weeks later good luck with your trolley filling campaign

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DeliDi says...
6:48pm Thu 11 Oct 12

This development was approved by Sue Glover from Bristol after a very brief site visit and stroll through the village with no communication with the traders
or public.
Sue Glover was appointed by Eric Pickles the secretary of state for communities and local government.
Eric Pickles was parliamentry private secretary to Tim Sainsbury in 1993.
I believe the decision was already made before Sue Glover visited Greasby and she was just going through the motions.
This decision should be investigated.

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DeliDi says...
6:49pm Thu 11 Oct 12

This development was approved by Sue Glover from Bristol after a very brief site visit and stroll through the village with no communication with the traders
or public.
Sue Glover was appointed by Eric Pickles the secretary of state for communities and local government.
Eric Pickles was parliamentry private secretary to Tim Sainsbury in 1993.
I believe the decision was already made before Sue Glover visited Greasby and she was just going through the motions.
This decision should be investigated.

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Positive thinker says...
8:41pm Thu 11 Oct 12

No one has mentioned the vets that's
going to be in the unit next to Sainsburys

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DeliDi says...
9:22pm Thu 11 Oct 12

Regarding the vets, we are not talking James Herriot here, but a national franchise housed in a flat roofed unit sporting a day glow Vets4Pets sign!!
Should compliment the original sand stone buildings close by!!

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Positive thinker says...
11:02pm Thu 11 Oct 12

There's a Tesco's store of a similar size on the drawing board not to far away,it's going to be interesting to
see what sort of response we get

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The_voice says...
3:17pm Fri 12 Oct 12

I think the people of Greasby should welcome this free market enterprise. In the current economic climate it should be the market which decides the success of a area. This new shopping outlet will create a good level of competition in the area which will lead to more competitive prices for the consumer. In our capitalist system the strongest businesses will survive which in this is likely to be sainsburys. Looking to Councillors and government seems to be somewhat of a paradox as the two Councillors for Greasby are conservative and so is our MP. Conservatives support the reduction in Plan Permission laws and for the less 'Red Tape' which may have stopped this project. Not to mention that this current government believes that market forces should dictate our economy (both local and national) not government...

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DeliDi says...
6:26pm Sun 14 Oct 12

We already have an excellent level of competition in Greasby with two Sainsurys about a mile either side of us.
One in Upton and one in Pensby.
Add to this the fact that when Sainsbury Upton applied for the upton site,they stated that their store would not impact on surrounding villages as it would be a bulk buying shopping option leaving the villages to provide a "top up" shopping option.
They have applied for the Greasby site with the statement "we want to offer an alternative "top up" shopping option.
I also thought that first and foremost this country was supposed to be a democracy!
Debatable when a person based in Bristol can sweep away the opposition of thousands of residents and recommended refusal by Wirral Borough Council
Why bother having a planning department at local level, and asking peoples views if it can be totally disregarded by a government appointed person in Bristol!!!

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