United against store
3:29pm Tuesday 1st July 2008
RESIDENTS opposed to plans to build a giant new Tesco store in Bexleyheath have started their campaign against the project with a protest meeting.
More than 100 people turned up to the meeting in the Scout headquarters in Mayplace Road West, Bexleyheath, to voice their concerns.
The meeting was chaired by Erith Road resident Claire Summerfield and speakers included Bexleyheath and Crayford MP David Evennett, ward councillor Simon Windle and prospective Labour party candidate for Bexleyheath and Crayford Howard Dawber.
The residents hope to form a new group, the Bexleyheath Community Involvement Association (BCIA), to present a united front to fight the plan to build the megastore, which would be up to seven storeys high, on the site of the former Woolwich headquarters in Erith Road, Bexleyheath.
An 11,000 sq m store with 400 homes built around and above it feature in the plans.
People are worried about the extra traffic the store will bring to the narrow roads surrounding the site, the density of the proposals and the effect on other local businesses.
The meeting heard estimates the store would need 100,000 customers a week to break even and it would attract 1,000 cars and 100 lorries in a 12-hour day.
Residents have used website tescopoly.org to research the impact of similar stores elsewhere in the country.
After Tesco confirmed it had lodged a planning application with Bexley Council, residents were urged to write letters of objection as soon as possible by Ms Summerfield.
Mr Evennett and Cllr Windle told residents they felt the site was inappropriate for a megastore and said they opposed the project on traffic and environmental grounds.
Mr Dawber agreed, saying: "If it goes ahead, we will lose the chance to have a more comprehensive redevelopment of the Bexleyheath centre area, possibly forever.
He pledged to work with the Tories to defeat the proposals.
To find out more about joining the new BCIA, email tescono@googlemail.com