Series of Tesco Trojan horse planning cases revealed
This report in the Guardian exposes more cases of the tactics used by Tesco to obtain planning permission.
Tesco has repeatedly used controversial Trojan horse tactics to win local planning consent without awakening potential opposition from local stores and residents. Tactics used by the supermarket group, which owns a vast property landbank - under examination by the Competition Commission - have enabled two sites in the north London boroughs of Barnet and Harrow to seek planning approvals for full retail use before the councils were aware that Tesco had an interest in either site. In both cases, the sites had previously been, at least in part, car workshops, and therefore required planning approval before a retailer could move in and start trading.
At a site in Alexandra Avenue, Rayners Lane, Harrow, the car dealership Currie Motors was granted permission to "change part of building from vehicle servicing and reparts (class B2) to ancillary retail (class A1), with new shop front and ATM". Local planning officers were not told that Currie Motors had already struck a deal to sell the site to Tesco - conditional on full retail permission being granted. Less than a year later, Tesco showed its hand and was able to secure the much more minor planning approvals necessary for the site's conversion into a Tesco Express. The Express store is opposite a parade of independent shops and less than half a mile from another Tesco store and filling station on the same road. A local store owner, who asked not to be named, said trying to compete against Tesco had been "disastrous for us; dreadful". Two Tesco stores so close to each other "should never have been allowed". Tesco said last night that Currie Motors had intended to seek retail planning permission some time before the supermarket group struck its conditional deal to buy the property. "These kind of deals are quite common in the property market," a spokesman said. Applications for Currie Motors and later for Tesco were both submitted by Tesco's property advisers Alsop Verrill. Letters and emails between Alsop Verrill and Tom Scorer, Tesco's senior property executive, draw a parallel between Tesco's Trojan horse tactics at the Harrow site and one in Finchley, Barnet. An email from Alsop Verrill refers to the need to "avoid some accusations that Tesco are trying to work the planning system". An application for retail planning permission at the Tesco-owned car showroom and workshop in Finchley was submitted in March 2005 by retailer Carpets 4 Less - again by Alsop Verrill. It said the carpet shop would attract less traffic than the previous car showroom and "will improve the amenities of residence in terms of the noise, smell and the trading hours associated with the previous use". However, the application was only approved with the qualification that the site remained a carpet retailer - and not be converted to other retail use. This threw Tesco and Alsop Verrill's plans. The supermarket has since applied directly to Barnet council for full retail permission that would allow it to install an Express store. Nevertheless, Barnet council has blocked the application and Tesco are now appealing the decision. During the planning inquiry internal documents exposing Tesco's Trojan horse tactics were unintentionally left at the planning office and have since been placed on file with the inquiry. Tesco lawyers had objected to this, but were overruled. Brian Coleman, a Barnet councillor, told the Guardian: "I am not anti-Tesco. I have supported a number of Tesco application over the years. However ... I expect a company with the size and prestige of Tesco to have some kind of business ethics. "
A Tesco spokesman said: "We are transparent in all our planning applications."!!
Tesco has repeatedly used controversial Trojan horse tactics to win local planning consent without awakening potential opposition from local stores and residents. Tactics used by the supermarket group, which owns a vast property landbank - under examination by the Competition Commission - have enabled two sites in the north London boroughs of Barnet and Harrow to seek planning approvals for full retail use before the councils were aware that Tesco had an interest in either site. In both cases, the sites had previously been, at least in part, car workshops, and therefore required planning approval before a retailer could move in and start trading.
At a site in Alexandra Avenue, Rayners Lane, Harrow, the car dealership Currie Motors was granted permission to "change part of building from vehicle servicing and reparts (class B2) to ancillary retail (class A1), with new shop front and ATM". Local planning officers were not told that Currie Motors had already struck a deal to sell the site to Tesco - conditional on full retail permission being granted. Less than a year later, Tesco showed its hand and was able to secure the much more minor planning approvals necessary for the site's conversion into a Tesco Express. The Express store is opposite a parade of independent shops and less than half a mile from another Tesco store and filling station on the same road. A local store owner, who asked not to be named, said trying to compete against Tesco had been "disastrous for us; dreadful". Two Tesco stores so close to each other "should never have been allowed". Tesco said last night that Currie Motors had intended to seek retail planning permission some time before the supermarket group struck its conditional deal to buy the property. "These kind of deals are quite common in the property market," a spokesman said. Applications for Currie Motors and later for Tesco were both submitted by Tesco's property advisers Alsop Verrill. Letters and emails between Alsop Verrill and Tom Scorer, Tesco's senior property executive, draw a parallel between Tesco's Trojan horse tactics at the Harrow site and one in Finchley, Barnet. An email from Alsop Verrill refers to the need to "avoid some accusations that Tesco are trying to work the planning system". An application for retail planning permission at the Tesco-owned car showroom and workshop in Finchley was submitted in March 2005 by retailer Carpets 4 Less - again by Alsop Verrill. It said the carpet shop would attract less traffic than the previous car showroom and "will improve the amenities of residence in terms of the noise, smell and the trading hours associated with the previous use". However, the application was only approved with the qualification that the site remained a carpet retailer - and not be converted to other retail use. This threw Tesco and Alsop Verrill's plans. The supermarket has since applied directly to Barnet council for full retail permission that would allow it to install an Express store. Nevertheless, Barnet council has blocked the application and Tesco are now appealing the decision. During the planning inquiry internal documents exposing Tesco's Trojan horse tactics were unintentionally left at the planning office and have since been placed on file with the inquiry. Tesco lawyers had objected to this, but were overruled. Brian Coleman, a Barnet councillor, told the Guardian: "I am not anti-Tesco. I have supported a number of Tesco application over the years. However ... I expect a company with the size and prestige of Tesco to have some kind of business ethics. "
A Tesco spokesman said: "We are transparent in all our planning applications."!!
posted by tescno at
10:49 am
