Tivyside | Archive | 2005 | August | 3
From the Tivyside Advertiser, first published Wednesday 3rd Aug 2005.
Following a meeting this week with New Mill Road residents, Elin Jones, AM is urging county planners to reject the application for a new Tesco store on the site owned by Cardigan Show north of New Mill Rd.
Speaking after the meeting, the AM said: "I find it staggering that an application for a new Tesco on this site is being considered at all. The site is outside the UDP and numerous opportunities have arisen over the past few years when the council could have placed this site in the UDP but chose not to.
Instead, Tesco hopes to by-pass the whole UDP process and deny the local residents the right to present evidence to the UDP and its public inquiry. I know of many people especially young families, who have wanted planning permission to build a home outside the UDP line and have been rejected out of hand by the planning department. If the county council supports this application, then it is clear that in Ceredigion there is one rule for Tesco and another one for the ratepayers.
"In addition to planning concerns, it is clear that a larger Tesco store with clothing, hardware, garden, butcher and baker facilities would have a huge detrimental effect on similar businesses and independent traders in the town. Cardigan town centre is blessed with a variety of shops and it would be a tragedy to jeopardise such an attractive town centre for the prospect of adding another few million pounds to Tesco's annual profit, a record £2bn this year.
"Tesco does not have Cardigan's future at heart - it has Tesco's future at heart. This application deserves to be rejected."
© Newsquest Media Group 2008