Tomorrow is D-Day for plans two supermarket giants have for Old Lane in Beeston.
Asda is looking to extend its current store while Tesco seeks to build a completely new store – however planners are recommending that BOTH applications are refused by councillors when they hear the proposals at a planning meeting in Leeds Civic Hall tomorrow.
Both supermarkets have been trying to win the PR battle for the past 12 months. We’ve featured a couple of press releases from them already this week. Published below for your information is today’s press release from Asda and Beeston Juniors we received today:
A long-established community football club for youngsters in Beeston has thrown its support behind Asda’s plans for a new store.
Beeston Junior Football Club, which is based in Cardinal Square, has been training young footballers, aged seven to 17, since 1979. It has backed plans for a new store in the area, stating it would benefit the community and help retain shoppers in Beeston.
The plans, which would transform an old industrial site into an attractive landscaped area, are set to be decided on Thursday 8 November, when the South and West Plans Panel meet to make a decision about the proposal for the store on Old Lane.
Beth Haigh, acting chairpersonat Beeston Juniors Football Club, said: “The management committee at Beeston Juniors wishes to add its support to the application for a new Asda store in the area.
“We would like to offer our thanks for the continued support from the staff and management at Asda. Since our partnership began, we have received much-needed funding from the store. We are also in negotiation to host a joint event to promote healthy eating in the community.
“We want a larger store, and we want it to be Asda. People currently travel to Morley, rather than visiting other, more expensive, supermarkets locally.”
Proposals for a new Asda store in Beeston, which would create 140 new jobs, have been recommended for refusal by council officials, despite support from more than 1,000 people in the local community.
Councillors on the committee will also assess a rival proposal from Tesco, which has submitted a planning application for a smaller store on a neighbouring site. Over 1,000 local people signed a petition in support of the new Asda store, in comparison to just 79 signatures for Tesco.
Philip Bartram, Asda’s senior property communications manager, said: “If approved, our proposals would see a bigger, better store developed on the same site that we already occupy.
“One of the concerns is that the new store could have a negative impact on smaller, independent shops in the area. We believe the potential effects would be minimal and the development would only bolster the regeneration of Beeston.
“The proposed supermarket would help to drive footfall and retain shoppers in the area. As a consequence, all local retailers would benefit.”
For further information about the Asda proposal and Beeston community projects, or to register your views, please visit www.asdabeeston.com.
South Leeds Life will be reporting from Thursday afternoon’s South and West Plans Panel meeting at the Civic Hall. The meeting starts at 1.30pm and members of the public can attend to hear the councillors debate, but cannot speak. The full reports and details on the meeting can be found here.
