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SAVE WAREHAM FROM
OUT-OF-TOWN SUPERMARKET
The current
consultation by Purbeck District Council , “Where shall we build
2012-2026?” proposes options for an out-of-town supermarket for Wareham
(see the link below):
http://www.dorsetforyou.com/397044
Wareham Town Trust
is concerned that an out-of-town supermarket would have a severe negative
impact on independent retailers in Wareham Town Centre and are urging the
District Council to reconsider their proposals for shaping Purbeck’s
future. This is born out in the Retail Impact Assessment recently carried
out as well as previous retail impact assessments as well as planning
inspectors’ decisions on previous proposals.
We would like to see
proposals to support a thriving and vibrant town centre in the future.
Coming dates:
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Wed 21st
July 7pm – Wareham Town Council will be considering their response to
the consultation on the Purbeck Core Strategy. The public are welcome to
attend this meeting in the Corn Exchange and to speak during the first
15 minutes of the meeting.
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30th
July – deadline for responses to the consultation “Where shall we
build”?
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10th
August 7pm – Meeting of Purbeck District Council, Westport House
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7th
September 7pm – Meeting of Purbeck District Council, Westport House
SOME BACKGROUND INFORMATION....
JUST
SAY NO to Out of Town Supermarkets
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Early 1990’s
a Supermarket was proposed off the Wareham by-pass at Worgret. The
planning inquiry ruled the proposals would have a damaging effect on the
vitality of this historic town centre.
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In 1998
Government commissioned independent research said “this research firmly
establishes that out-of-town superstores can seriously damage the health
of small towns”.
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In 1999
independent retail consultants appointed by the District Council firmly
advised against out of town supermarkets which would be likely to have a
seriously detrimental effect on Wareham Town Centre.
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In 2001/2
a planning inquiry took place and the Inspector concluded “I am wholly
with the Council in its opposition to supermarket development at Worgret
Road…. Small market towns with a relatively weak foodstore provision are
particularly vulnerable to out-of-centre supermarkets …Wareham would be
best served by an extension to the existing town centre stores.”
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A new 20,000 sq ft out of
town supermarket at Wareham is never going to compete with the Tesco
Extra at Fleets Bridge or Asda at Poole - just 15 mins away by car.
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The current consultants
predict that a quarter of trade would be taken from the recently opened
town centre Sainsbury’s, and recognised that it could close. They also
acknowledge that the impact of the out of town supermarket proposals
could affect up to 74% of shops selling goods in Wareham. This will
result in Wareham becoming a ghost town!
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The new Government has
abolished Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) on which these proposals are
based.
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The Council has invited our
views on three options; a large Supermarket in Wareham; a large
Supermarket in Swanage; or medium sized Supermarkets in Wareham and
Swanage
They ignore the fourth
option -
JUST SAY
NO to Out of Town Supermarkets |
