Bid to foil Tesco gets under way

10:48am Friday 26th October 2007

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CONCERNED residents and business owners in Poynton have set up an action group to try to halt the construction of a Tesco store in their village.

Poynton Against Tesco (PAT) was set up in the wake of a demonstration by villagers at a recent public exhibition of Tesco's plans for the site at Brookfield Motors on London Road South.

Three thousand people have already signed petitions placed by the group around the village.

Tesco maintains the development would be good for the area, with around 150 jobs created for local people.

PAT spokesman Steve Marsden said: "While some residents see a new Tesco as good for the partly disused site, many more fear a broad combination of negative factors including even more traffic congestion on one of the busiest roads in Cheshire, the loss to and potential closure of the many small local businesses, the effect on the individual character and appearance of the village, the environmental impact of added air and light pollution, delivery lorries and vans, waste and noise and the definite loss of Poynton's one surviving petrol station."

Macclesfield Borough Council's planning department will decide whether to grant planning permission within the next few weeks and Mr Marsden is urging residents to write to the planning office at Macclesfield to lodge their protest.

He added: "This is by far the most important way to register local feeling about the application."

Meanwhile, Macclesfield MP Sir Nicholas Winterton has also expressed his concern at the proposals. He said: "Another Tesco store will undoubtedly have a huge impact on the local community.

"I have taken this matter up with John Knight, interim corporate manager for planning and development at Macclesfield Borough Council, advising him of my personal opposition to the development, and have had correspondence with Tesco plc.

"I have also written to the clerk of Poynton with Worth Parish Council on the matter and, in addition, explained my position to a number of members of the parish council and also to three borough councillors."

For more information on PAT visit: www.poyntonagainsttesco.co.uk christopher.hidden@commnews.co.uk