Tesco plans in Bovingdon rejected (From Watford Observer)

Tesco plans in Bovingdon rejected

4:12pm Friday 12th June 2009

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By Michael Pickard »

Villagers in Bovingdon have won their battle against supermarket giant Tesco, but have warned they must now prepare for war.

Dacorum Borough Council's development control committee last night unanimously rejected plans to transform a former car showroom and garage into a Tesco store with eight flats above, on the corner of Chesham Road and the high street.

“This development could be the ruin of the village.

Councillor Gill Chapman

In front of a packed council chamber, residents and local councillors gave emotionally charged speeches about the effect the supermarket would have on their village and, following the rejection, said they expected Tesco to lodge an appeal.

They are now set to form a residents' association to collect the evidence they need to ensure any appeal is rejected by a Government-appointed planning inspector.

Addressing the planning committee, ward councillor Gbola Abeleke said: “The Tesco application is not wrong but what is wrong is Tesco's insatiable appetite for financial gain and the total disregard of the negative implications on the people living in Bovingdon village. A new Tesco will lead to the destruction of local businesses and job losses. This development is not needed and it's not necessary.”

Parish councillor Richard Briden said the supermarket would lead to “the decline of the village centre” at the expense of existing stores.

“We recognise the site needs redevelopment. We believe domestic rather than commercial would be more suitable.”

Meanwhile, Joanne Bain, a teaching assistant at Bovingdon Primary School, said “wholly inadequate” parking provision would result in “overspill” parking and cause increased congestion on already busy roads.

And resident Ron Smith told the packed council chamber that “congestion and inappropriate parking create a dangerous situation”.

He said: “This proposed development with inadequate service access and a significant lack of parking will cause unacceptable congestion and danger and therefore should be rejected.”

Ward councillor Gill Chapman added: “This development could be the ruin of the village."

“Although it replaces an eyesore and that garage is awful, that's no reason to accept an 'anything is better' mentality.”

Peggy Hui, representing Tesco, said a new store would “improve customer choice” and bring the dilapidated site back into active use.

She said: “We are confident the scheme will bring positive changes to Bovingdon.”

But despite a planning officer informing the committee there was no evidence to support refusal on the grounds of highway, design or retail issues, members felt otherwise.

Councillor Graham Sutton said: “It's totally out of character with the village centre. It just doesn't fit in at all.”

Councillor Lloyd Harris said the design “sticks out like a sore thumb”, while councillor David Lloyd likened the effect of a Tesco in the village to a “cuckoo coming into a nest and pushing out all those other retailers”.

Committee chairman Richard Roberts, who represents Bovingdon on the council, said he feared the development would increase “rat-running” and would change the character of the village.

He said: “I'm very nervous of Tesco becoming the tail that wags the dog of Bovingdon.”

The committee unanimously rejected the application, on reasons of scale, mass, design and size.

Outside the council chamber, campaigner Sue Miller was thrilled with the verdict.

She said: “We believe the proposal represented the urbanisation of our village to the detriment of our community.

“We have chosen to live in a village and work hard to maintain our sense of community.”

Hemel Hempstead schoolgirl Georgia Buck, 14, from The Bourne, said: “I'm worried in case the traffic increases and I catch a bus there. Cars go up the pavement and I've closely avoided being run over.”

Mr Smith, from Bovingdon Green, has lived in the village for 40 years.

He said: “I feel strongly because one of the pleasures of living in Bovingdon and why people move to Bovingdon is it has a rather complete range of shops. When this comes it will cause a number of them to eventually fade away.

“We now expect an appeal so this is only round one and we need everyone in the village to take the good fight forward.”

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