Candidates opposed to superstores - week 2

This week's East Barnet Advertiser sets out the views of the remaining three sets of candidates, Conservatives, Lib Dems and BNP.

Firstly starting with the Conservatives, they continue to claim that they are "leading the battle against the supermarkets". I think that is a somewhat exaggerated claim and I am shocked that they are claiming option one of the town centre framework is only there because of them. Personally, I think the stalwarts at the Save New Barnet campaign deserve the credit for that one. The Conservatives make no reference to the Local Development Framework which will encourage developers to build blocks of flats all along the A110 in a similar fashion to the block of flats that have sprung up along Station Road. I think that is worrying for the area.

Moving onto the Lib Dems they make clear their opposition to the supermarkets but again no mention of the Local Development Framework and the impact of lots of new flats on the area. I also think it is a bit rich to knock the Tories for not living in the ward when only one of the Lib Dem candidates does so.

As for the BNP they make no mention whatsoever of supermarkets, flats, planning etc so I think I'll leave it there.

Overall it appears that only the Resident's Association of Barnet have stated clearly that they are opposed to both new superstores and blocks of flats along East Barnet Road. I know who I will be voting for!

So who is opposed to Superstores?

Reading the East Barnet Advertiser it is interesting what the Labour, Green and Residents' Association of Barnet are saying or not saying about superstore development in New Barnet. Reading what they say carefully, only The Residents' Association of Barnet candidates specifically say they are opposed to new superstores in the area. Mr Reasonable has a question for both the Labour and Green candidates - Are you opposed to new superstore developments in New Barnet -yes or no?
Next week I will review what the Conservatives, Lib Dems and BNP have to say.

Votes are in - who is the winner?

The deadline for submission of comments on the New Barnet Town Centre Framework has now passed. We will have to wait and see how many responses were received by the Council but it must run to several hundred. I saw a group of people outside Sainsbury's queuing up to give their comments to the Save New Barnet Team. Unfortunately, I suspect we will hear nothing now until after the elections. I just hope common sense has prevailed and the Council accept that most residents in New Barnet don't want any superstore developments.

Vote Option 1 - The deadline is looming!

The Consultation period for the New Barnet Town Centre Framework closes on Tuesday 23 March. Please make sure you have sent in your response. Please be very careful of filling in the Council's feedback questionnaire as your answers will be open to interpretation. Ideally write your own letter or download the pro forma letter from the Save New Barnet website - see the link in the side bar. Every single letter is counted so make sure that Barnet Council understand how you feel about the future of New Barnet.

Mr Reasonable recommends voting Option 1 - Consolidated High Street.

New Barnet Town Centre Framework - Vote Option 1

Having studied the Town Centre Framework in some detail, it strikes me that there are a number of very serious issues which don't necessarily come out clearly in the documents. Option 1, which is residential development on the Gasworks and Optex sites (something proposed by the Save New Barnet Campaign last year), seems to be portrayed in such a way as to make it look a rather negative option. By contrast, Options 2 &3, which favour retail development on the Optex and Gasworks sites respectively, are portrayed in much more favourable terms. However, as with some many things in life, the devil is in the detail. Options 2 & 3 don't talk about the size of retail development nor do they talk about the additional traffic that would be generated. Option 2 (Tesco own Optex site) could only be accessed from Victoria Road making life utterly miserable for anyone living on this narrow residential road.What is also tucked away in one of the appendices is the impact assessment on the Sainsbury's store in New Barnet. The Framework document suggests that if a 2,500 square metre store (a bit smaller than the current Sainsbury's) was openedon either of the sites, it would take half of Sainsbury's turnover potentially making the Sainsbury's store unviable. As a result, rather than generating competition, we would simply have Sainsbury's replaced by another single supermarket operator. Change but not competition. Overall, the only realistic option is Option 1.
Make your opinion count - Tell Barnet Council what you think - deadline 23 March.
Mr Reasonable will be voting for Option 1!

New Barnet Town Centre Framework

I have just come back from the exhibition at St Jame's Church. The problem is that the display boards were extremely superficial. Nothing about traffic or whether or not we need any more supermarkets. It will be incredibly difficult to come to a clear and rational conclusion based on the evidence presented. I just hope that people can see through the spin!

Tesco - What a Mess

Tesco own 7-9 Victoria Road but do not appear to want to do anything with the site. They fought for planning permission taking their case to the Planning Inspectorate where they won planning permission for a Tesco Express on 7 April 2009. They have sat on this site letting it rot but at the same time continue to develop other Tesco Express stores in the area. These pictures were taken on Saturday and reflect the current state of the building.

Come on Tesco. Either pull it down and build your new Tesco Express or sell the site and let someone else develop it. Show the residents of New Barnet some respect and do the right thing.