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Herne Bay, England, CT6
United Kingdom

Community website for all things Herne Bay (Kent, UK). Covers: The Downs, Herne Bay Museum, Herne Bay Historical Records Society, Herne Bay Pier Trust, Herne Bay in Bloom, East Cliff Neighbourhood Panel, No Night Flights, Manston Airport, Save Hillborough, Kitewood, WEA, Local Plan and much, much more...

HBM

Filtering by Tag: Tony Day

Local Plan: Parish pledges to halt Strode in its stride

HBM

Parish councillors have vowed to stop a massive housing development they fear would link Herne to Herne Bay.

Members of Herne and Broomfield Parish Council are working with charity CPRE Protect Kent to find reasons to stop 1,000 homes being built at Strode Farm owned by Hollamby Estates, of which parish councillor Andrew Brealy is a director.

Mr Brealy left the room when the issue was discussed at a meeting on Thursday, but chairman Tony Day said the charity's advice was to focus on highways issues.

The development, included in Canterbury City Council's draft Local Plan, would involve upgrades to Bullockstone Road to turn it into a "relief road". But Councillor Day said they did not go far enough. He said:

"The road will end up more or less as it is. It is totally inadequate. It is less adequate than the current route through the village. People from all the new developments will all want to go to Canterbury and will be going through our village or a relief road. All these developments should hinge on the proper infrastructure being in place."

The parish council plans to hire an independent expert - part funded by CPRE Protect Kent - to examine the highways issues but members said it was crucial residents also got involved. Councillor Ann Blatherwick said:

"We need to find out why we are not being considered separately to Herne Bay and why we are not mentioned as a village. We are a separate community. But we are just lumped in together and that explains why they are trying to join us up."

Members also discussed the loss of agricultural land, and the lack of school places. County councillor Alan Marsh said:

"We would need new schools, two primary and two secondary, to deal with the numbers of children. There isn't money for one school, let alone four."

The parish council won the backing of city councillor Peter Vickery-Jones, who stressed he had not been part of the Local Plan steering group that put the proposals together. He said:

"It is about time Canterbury picked up where it should. There has been huge resistance to South Canterbury but it is right it should be developed there."

But he cited the need for an alternative option, and suggested Thanington near Canterbury.

Village Hall plans on display

Plans for a new village hall for Herne will go on display next month. Herne and Broomfield Parish Council members have asked flve developers to provide drawings and costs for a new building in St Martin's View, next to the School Lane car park.

Villagers will be asked to choose their favourite and fill in a questionnaire before councillors decide how to proceed.

At a meeting of the parish council on Thursday, clerk Monica Blyth said developers would be at a public exhibition on Friday, July 12th from 1 to 7pm to answer any questions and results of the consultation would be considered by the hall committee.

Cllr Tracey Jones said it was important the consultation was as wide as possible, with an exhibition at the weekend as well as during the week. Councillors agreed to investigate other dates the material could be on display and to print extra leaflets and posters to distribute via schools and shops.

HB Times 20th Jun 2013


Herne Bay Matters home page

Red Lion villagers declare war on Tesco

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Campaigners have fired the opening shots in their fight to keep Tesco from taking over a former village pub. Protestors have set up Facebook pages and a website, nototesco.org, after almost 1,000 people packed a public meeting to discuss the controversial plans for the empty Upper Red Lion pub in Herne.

Villagers braved rain and freezing winds and kept coming even after the community centre filled, forcing the meeting to move to St Martin's church. The panel of parish, city and county councillors found themselves facing a row of packed pews. Conservative MP Roger Gale said:

"There is clearly a one-sided view here, but what we do has to be done within the law. We can make sure proper account is taken of the conservation area and the considerable highways issues."

The meeting was organised after Tesco announced that it had taken out a lease on the empty pub next to the church and would be opening a Tesco Express store on the site. During the meeting suggestions about the nature opposition to the application could take came thick and fast. The supermarket chain does not need official permission to change the use of the former pub, but bosses have applied to make changes to the rear of the building. Kent County Councillor Alan Marsh said:

"I want to give you an edge. Tesco says it has put a planning application in at the rear of the property. That is its Achilles heel. If it fails to get that it may make it commercially unviable. The war starts now."

Speaking from the crowd, former policeman Nick Biddiss said:

"This is a wonderful show of solidarity; I hope the councillors take note, go away and deliver."

In response to calls for the next parish council meeting to be held in the church, chairman Tony Day suggested the church might be already booked – but vicar the Reverend Elaine Richardson said they would be welcome. Life-long Herne resident and fine arts consultant Tina Rackham said:

"There has been a lot of concern that the community centre is too small and now we have seen that is the case. The Red Lion would offer a great community base. It would need to be commercially viable, but the upstairs could have business units and the downstairs be used by both the church and the public for functions. I think it would be feasible for the community to work together with the parish council to take over the Red Lion."

Mr Marsh plans to raise the issue at a meeting of Canterbury City Council's rural area member panel on Monday, January 16 at 7pm at the Guildhall in Westgate.

Tesco did not respond to the Times' request for a comment before we went to press.

thisiskent 13th Jan 2012



The Tescopoly Alliance was launched in June 2005 to highlight and challenge the negative impacts of Tesco's behaviour along its supply chains both in the UK and internationally, on small businesses, on communities and the environment. The campaign also advocates national and international legislation needed to curb the market power of all the major British supermarkets.


Herne Bay Matters home page

Massive anti-Tesco protest rally at Herne

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Villagers turn out in force to fight Tesco

Tesco shuts.jpg

Tesco was set to hold talks with councillors today (12th Jan) after 500 people piled into a village church to oppose a new store in Herne. There were incredible scenes as hundreds turned out to vent their anger at the supermarket giant’s plans to move into the Upper Red Lion pub. The public meeting attracted so many people it had to be moved at the last minute from the village hall to St Martin’s Church. Defiant parish council chairman Tony Day, who will meet with Tesco today, said:

“There will be no negotiation. It will be Tesco out of Herne and nothing but.”


If you would like to join the campaign send your contact details to

tonyday@nototesco.org

Visit the campaign website:

www.nototesco.org


A fiery public meeting over plans for a Tesco store in Herne attracted so many people it had to be moved to the village church. Almost 500 villagers attempted to cram themselves into Herne community hall to voice fears about a proposed Express store at the Upper Red Lion pub. More than 100 were left stranded outside before local vicar Elaine Richardson saved the day by offering St Martin’s Church as an alternative venue.

Traffic was brought to a stand-still as the crowds marched to the historic building and queued outside for a chance to have their say on the controversial plans. The meeting last Wednesday was organised by the parish council and led by chairman Tony Day. He opened by saying:

"I’ve been taken absolutely by surprise by the number of people who have turned up. We organised this meeting because we need to be informed of the feeling within the village about this proposal, and I don’t think we're in much doubt now.”

Just one person admitted to being in favour of the Tesco plans as a panel of councillors and Bay MP Sir Roger Gale outlined their concerns. Sir Roger said:

“Planning consent for change of use is not necessary as it’s already a retail premises, so we are restricted in what we can and can’t do. I’m not knocking the strength of feeling within the village, but the county council and city council have to act within planning law as it is, and not as we would like it to be. What we can do is make sure proper account is taken of the fact this is a conservation area, is on a very dangerous bend and there are serious highway issues in what is proposed.”

County councillor for Herne Alan Marsh added:

“I don’t think Tesco will start work on this building without the planning permission for the back of the property. If they don’t get it does it make their commercial ambitions unworkable or financially unviable. There’s also a moral issue about whether you can have a Tesco next door to a church.

When the pub was built it was part of the church’s identity. I don’t think Tesco would fulfil that same role. I can’t see for the life of me how they'll get round the highway issues. For eight years I’ve been racking my brains and trying to solve the problem of people coming down School Lane and wanting to turn right. The roundabout is too small and the road is too narrow. But nowhere in the Tesco letter does it say anything about congestion or parking.”

Herne city councillor Peter Vickery-Jones said:

“I didn’t expect so many people. It sends out a very strong message and will frighten the life out of Tesco. It may not stop them, but it will make them think. You have to ask yourself why they're not here tonight. They’re a corporate body and they think they’re too big to worry about us. But we need to say to them this is not for us, now go away.”


Voices from the meeting

Dozens of locals expressed their fears about the plans after the meeting was opened up to the floor. Phil Eichorn, who lives in Herne Street, suggested protesting outside the pub with placards, adding:

“Tesco is a big organisation and they're counting on our apathy. When they see we don't want a shop there they'll think twice about it."

Wendy Dinley, of Greenhill Road, added:

“I've got a daughter getting married at the church next year and she doesn't want to get married on a Tesco forecourt."

Concerns were also raised about traffic problems already at the site and the dangers of increased congestion. Aaron Bishop said:

"We've got an infant school and a junior school in Herne and Tesco may be deemed an allurement to pupils. If they run across a busy road how many fatal accidents are there going to be?"

Retired police detective Nick Biddiss, who lives in the village, said:

"I really think this has been a wonderful night and a marvellous show of solidarity, so you councillors need to take it away and deliver."

Parish council chairman Tony Day has started a “Say No to Tesco" campaign. He is urging people to write to Tesco with their views, either to:

Tesco Stores Ltd, Corporate and Legal Affairs, New Tesco House, Delamare Road, Cheshunt, Herts, EN8 9SL or by emailing carol.leslie@uk.tesco.com

If you would like to join the campaign send your contact details to tonyday@nototesco.org


Petition attracts almost 1,000 signatures

A petition against the plans has already attracted almost 1,000 signatures at Herne Village Stores next door. Owners Thiruvalluvar and Priya Kumanan fear they will have to shut if the proposal gets the go ahead. Mrs Kumanan said:

“If it happens it will be the end of us. You’ve only got to look at what effect they’ve had on smaller businesses elsewhere. gets the go ahead. If it happens it will be the end of us. But the support we’ve had has been wonderful. It’s amazing how many people have signed the petition and we’ve had so many since the public meeting that we actually ran out of pages.”


Vicar criticises Tesco's "arrogance"

Herne vicar Elaine Richardson described the turnout as “absolutely fantastic" after the last-minute venue change. Recalling the start of the night. she said:

"When I arrived at the community hall there were hordes of people outside. I could see lines of heads inside the window. They were like sardines. I thought the best thing was to offer to hold the meeting in the church. We had about 530 for the nativity on Christmas Eve and it was more packed then, so I would say there were about 500 for the meeting. It showed the passion people have for the village."

Mrs Richardson echoed the views of those who turned up. Hitting out at Tesco's "big boy" mentality She said:

"I think there's a blatant arrogance about setting up next door to a family business There's something about the big boys just thinking they can push their way into the High Street or a village like ours. It's awful."

More than 130 baptisms, weddings and funerals are held at the church every year, but Mrs Richardson says this could be affected. She said:

“We're very worried about parking. As a church it's not only weddings and funerals we have to worry about. Just maintaining an ancient building for present and future generations requires almost constant building work. I've been told we're going to lose out on weddings, but I'm not sure if that's going to be the case yet"

Mrs Richardson had explored the option of converting the pub into a vicarage with community uses, but it was ruled out by the local diocese. She said:

“We really wanted to do that because we're strapped for space. To have the facility there would have been fantast c, but the diocese said it wasn't suitable because of privacy issues, but no doubt money came into it as well."


Other villages had fears but are happy now

A committee to fight Tesco's plans was set up at a meeting on Tuesday, and talks were set to be held today with the company's corporate affairs manager.

City and parish councillors will meet with Carol Leslie, of Tesco, to discuss the plans. Parish council chairman Tony Day said:

"There will be no negotiation. It will be Tesco out of Herne and nothing but."

Ms Leslie says Tesco is currently putting together a scheme for the Express store. She said:

“Once this has been completed we said we will meet with the parish council to discuss this scheme and any concerns they have. We are aware there are people in Herne who have concerns about our scheme but there are also people who are in support of the idea. We have many Express stores in villages and many where people initially had exactly the same concerns but are now a popular and welcome addition to village life."

[sounds a bit like Invasion of the Bodysnatchers?]

HB Times 12th Jan 2012



The Tescopoly Alliance was launched in June 2005 to highlight and challenge the negative impacts of Tesco's behaviour along its supply chains both in the UK and internationally, on small businesses, on communities and the environment. The campaign also advocates national and international legislation needed to curb the market power of all the major British supermarkets.


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