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Whitby's Tesco protestors petition town and borough councils
OBJECTORS to the proposed Tesco store in Whitby have handed over a 3,700-name petiion against the plans as the countdown starts to a big planning meeting on schemes by three rival superstores.
Tesco wants to build on land at High Stakesby in Whitby under a deal with the Sisters of the Order of the Holy Paraclete, based at Sneaton Castle.
But the group Whitby Residents Against Tesco Superstore claims that the supermarket could drive shopkeepers out of business, destroy the character of the town and lead to lorries ruining the peace and causing congestion.
On Thursday, nine members gathered outside Scarborough Town Hall armed with dozens of sheets of paper containing 3,712 names on a petition, stating the site is wrong for any superstore.
A copy of the petition was also handed to Whitby's mayor Terry Jennison at last Tuesday's town council planning meeting, where councillors recommended rejecting Tesco's bid for the site.
Meeting the objectors, cabinet member for planning Derek Bastiman said: "I am more than happy to receive this petition on behalf of Scarborough Brough Council.
"It will be passed on immediately to the planning managers."
The protesters were led by Helen Barker who said the signatures represented 32% of the adult population of Whitby.
She said: "We all feel very strongly about this. It's created such strong feelings in people.
"Sometimes even in the same family, one might want one and one might want the other.
"Our campaign is a private initiative by the residents of Whitby, using our own resources.
"It is not just people from Sneaton Castle who are objecting to this but people from all over town."
Scarborough's Planning Committee will meet a week on Thursday at 1pm in Whitby Community College to hear the planning applications for the three supermarket proposals – Tesco and Sainsburys, and a store extension for the Co-operative.
And this Thursday, people will have the chance to air their views at a public meeting at Whitby Pavilion.
At the meeting which starts at 7.30pm, the results of a questionnaire on the supermarkets will also be revealed and these will be passed to Scarborough Borough Council's planning department.
Matthew Magee, regional corporate affairs manager for Tesco, said: "Our store would create 300 jobs for local people, be accessible for over 5,500 people on foot and link in with existing bus routes.
"This means it's easier for people to go into town from our store, increasing custom for all businesses in the town, rather than people continuing to shop in Guisborough or Scarborough."
The proposals would ease traffic problems, he added. The great supermarket debate has also taken over the pages of Facebook with groups set up including Whitby Needs a Tesco – Back the Plans, Sainsbury's For Whitby, Whitby Against Tesco Plans and We Oppose Tesco Store in Whitby.
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Friday 25 May 2012
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