OUR THIRD (and hottest) PUBLIC MEETING!

Our third meeting. Artist's impression.

Almost exactly a year on from our launch meeting, and B.A.T.S can still pack ‘em in on a sweltering evening!

A hundred and fifty local residents packed the Lion Hotel on Wednesday 7^th for public meeting number three.

Kicking things off, Ali Hubbard unveiled the results of our Matlock Traders Survey. Matlock, in their recent Sainsbury’s development, has some similarities to Belper, insofar as an unsightly part of town (Cawdor Quarry) was developed by a supermarket chain who built a "relief road" into their plans.

In short, the opening of Sainsbury’s and the new road has been a disaster for Matlock traders: To see just how MUCH of a disaster, download the full survey on our "Downloads" page…

Now then: Sainsbury’s – as part of their planning application – had to present a case that they would be good for Matlock. They did. We have copies of their reports and retail impact assessments and they make out that the coming of Sainsbury’s will usher in something of a Golden Age for the town.

Maybe they lied. (Interestingly; one of the people involved in selling this albatross to the people of Matlock is also closely involved in various shady dealings for Tesco in Belper...)

Next, The Leader of Derbyshire County Council – Joyce Sanders – accompanied by Council officers for Highways and Property, talked about the County’s part in the planning process. We were also given some useful pointers on how to proceed.

The main part of the evening, chaired by Vickie Minion, was spent discussing Amber Valley Borough Council’s forthcoming "Development Brief" for the Derwent Street / Meadow’s Edge area.

This is the document – a sort of checklist of what the Local Authority would allow to be built on the land - against which any future planning application must be measured.

Unfortunately, Tesco pay for the consultants who are writing the Brief(!), but we are assured by Derek Stafford (AVBC Director of Planning) that the Borough get control over what will be in it.

Furthermore, he’s invited B.A.T.S Members to submit ideas for the Brief.

And this is where YOU come in…

We’re putting together a submission drawn from the views of Belper Residents. Send YOUR ideas of what you’d like to see the site used for to us through our "Feedback" page.

Crafted from the finest cotton, and lavishly printed with our beautiful Tes-Kong logo and the words "Stop Belper Tesco", our exclusive non-designer tee shirts are now available for the discerning fashionista to purchase at a mere £10.

Available in all sizes, from Small to XL, you'll be sure to cut a dash in the Hood this Summer!

If you're interested, drop us a line through "Feedback", and one of our tailors will get right back to you.

DOWNLOAD THE LATEST NEWSLETTER!

Click the link below. Remember: If you print it out, pass it on when you've read it!

	Title	Category	Last Updated	Size (Kb)
	Newsletter2		05/03/2008	1,641.68	Download

THERE'S AN ALTERNATIVE TO TESCO!

...and no, it isn't Asda...

On Monday October 29th, and despite pressure from Tesco, Belper Civic Forum (link to their website here) unveiled the results of their project to come up with alternative uses for the Derwent Street/ Meadow's Edge site currently lusted over by Tesco.

Based upon existing legislation and guidelines concerning appropriate uses for such sites, the BCF proposals are for a far more low-key development, providing housing, small business units, small shop units and room for a far smaller main retail unit (in a different location) than the mighty behemoth the site owners are currently after.

The proposals also place a far greater emphasis on Belper's heritage, the position of the flood plain and existing shops and businesses on King Street than Tesco are ever likely to do!

While there are obviously going to be aspects of the proposal that are open to argument, it seems, on the whole, far more sustainable than a huge superstore could ever be.

As ever, we urge you to check it out and make up your own mind!

WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT...

KEY

A: The Triangle is replaced by a roundabout (or a large junction-Visitors to the "Community Update" were told both!). Also, Pym's Solicitors (an original Strutt building that once served as the Armoury for the Belper Militia) to be demolished!

B: The new Feeder Road; cutting through the Meadows, demolishing the Cricket Pavillion and passing within a few metres of Meadow Court.

C: A new petrol station.

D: A 600-space car park.

E: 24 hour Tesco! All 80,000 Square feet of it! Now with added light and noise pollution!

F: Housing, Offices and Retail.

G: More Retail : Tesco have talked with other companies like Argos and the usual suspects.

H: Car parking.

I: Morrisons' Roundabout.

J/K: Focus and Morrisons. Tesco will be twice the size of Morrisons. Do you seriously think Belper can support that without closures?

L: Possible new Retail unit.

M: All the Sports Clubs to be rearranged (although no-one seemed at all sure how) and moved further down the Flood Plain towards the river... (Although the Environment Agency have had a thing or two to say about this already)

Note: The much-promoted New Belper Library to be supposedly located off the A6, to the rear of the site. The County Council claim there is no other place for it. How about the Market Place (which most people in Belper want) or within Strutt's School?

ABOUT OUR AD BANNER...

The eagleyed among you may notice a banner of Google ads to your right. They're the reason we don't have to pay for this site.

The way the ads get chosen is that a computer in Googleland (look it up on Google Earth) reads everything written here and chooses appropriate adverts based on the keywords it finds.

That's why you may occasionally spot a Tesco ad on an anti-Tesco site!

Andy Minion