Jobs on way as Tesco approved
HUNDREDS of jobs will be created in Bourne thanks to a supermarket giant which has been given the go-ahead to build a new 24-hour store.
Tesco's planning application came under scrutiny at a South Kesteven District Council development control committee meeting in Grantham on Tuesday afternoon.
Councillors, who were recommended to approve the firm's plan to build a 4,290sqm store in South Road creating 300 jobs, gave the retail company the green light subject to conditions. They include building an acoustic fence or wall around the delivery yard to minimise noise impact.
Committee vice-chairman Alan Parkin (Con) supported the proposal but said the main stumbling block, a view shared by most of the members, was Tesco's desire to take deliveries around the clock.
Councillors agreed that one of the conditions should be to restrict deliveries to between 6am and 11.30pm, Monday to Saturday, and 8.30am to 8pm on Sundays.
John Carter, of Willoughby Road, Bourne, spoke at the meeting to object to the plans.
He said there were two supermarkets, Sainsbury's and Rainbow Foodstore, competing with one another already.
Mr Carter also said Tesco was very similar to Sainsbury's and that an alternative would be better suited to the town, such as a low-cost supermarket, like Aldi or Lidl, or a more expensive store like Waitrose.
He also raised concerns about the importance of supporting the town centre, which he said had about 10 empty shops.
The Co-op was granted planning permission in 2008 to move to the former Opico site in South Road but sold on this land to Tesco last year.
Rules dictating how much food retail there is in town will mean Co-op can no longer sell food from the Manning Road store once Tesco opens.
The Co-op has said it may take on the old Budgens store in the Burghley Centre.
Nigel Cussen spoke at the meeting on behalf of Tesco and said it would help attract trade back to the town. He said the proposal would provide full and part-time jobs and added: "The food store site is of an appropriate scale for the town."
Tesco plans for the eco-store will incorporate carbon reduction technology and rainwater harvesting, and there will also be a car park with 318 spaces, a cash machine and recycling facilities.
Sainsbury's objected saying there was no need for a store in the town on this scale.
The plan has been deferred to the Secretary of State because its large size and it is not part of the local development plan.
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Weather for Bourne
Friday 10 February 2012
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