Artist's impression of the proposed Asda at the Bally Shoe Factory in Norwich
Norwich Asda rejection criticised by Norfolk County Council leader
Dan Grimmer
Monday, September 24, 2012
5:46 PM
A controversial decision to refuse permission for a new Asda in Norwich has been criticised by the leader of Norfolk County Council, who said a “wonderful opportunity” had been missed.
The supermarket giant had hoped to build a new store at the old Bally Shoe Factory site, near Tuckswood, along with a gym, pub, community centre, 334-space car park and other shops.
But, at a Norwich City Council planning meeting last week, the application was turned down by five votes to four.
Four Green councillors and one Liberal Democrat voted to refuse the Hall Road scheme, saying the 5,796 sq m superstore was too dominant for a district centre, the plans did not make best use of a brownfield site, protected trees would be removed, pedestrian access was not good enough and the car park was too dominant.
Norwich City Council leader Brenda Arthur blasted those councillors for costing the city up to 400 new jobs and, at a meeting of the Conservative-controlled county council today, County Hall leader Derrick Murphy said he shared Ms Arthur’s views.
He said: “I can understand the ire and anger of Brenda Arthur on this one, at a time when the economy is not at its best. It is a wonderful opportunity which has been missed.
“It is a pity the Asda scheme did not go ahead because one thing which people need at this time is jobs and we need to protect as many as possible.”
Stephen Little, Green county and city councillor for Town Close, was one of the planning committee members who voted to reject the scheme.
He said the proposal was completely against the city council’s own policies, which was why he had voted against it and pointed to research showing supermarkets actually cost jobs.
He also questioned whether Mr Murphy had read the planning report, which went before city councillors. Mr Murphy conceded he had not, but added he was “an avid fan of supermarkets”.
What do you think? Write to Evening News letters at Prospect House, Rouen Road, Norwich, NR1 1RE, or email eveningnewsletters@archant.co.uk
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12 comments
Labour and Tories united again in the support for another market chain supermarket without talking of the jobsand their viability or terms of employment This is and has been the real coalition for many years tHE OTHER IS A REAL SMOKE SCREEN
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No to tory boy
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Leave Mr Murphy alone. We all know how he likes to conduct confidential county business in supermarkets and must be getting bored of Morrisons at Carrow Road. He needs another office and Asda at Hall Road will do just fine to march up and down the vegetables barking into his mobile phone and pretending he is in cabinet.
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alecto
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
The lengthy and detailed report prepared for the committee by the planning officer states the following conclusion: “This is a finely balanced decision and on balance it is considered that the economic and community benefits delivered by the proposal and described above outweigh the shortfalls of the application proposals also described above”. Despite this, and the fact that he admits that he has not read the report, Cllr Derrick Murphy leaps in from a position of total ignorance and states his view. This was no doubt an attempt, indirectly, to score cheap points off the Lib Dem and Green opposition in County Hall. And what is the basis of his view? He “is an avid fan of supermarkets”. Do we from this understand that he “is an avid fan of waste incinerators” in the same way? This is not the way planning applications are meant to be determined.
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John Martin
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
4 days of sour grapes because Labour cllr.s could not see fit to attend and because the planning brief did not allow such a massively oversized development. For Derrick Murphy its another opportunity to divert attention away from his appalling behaviour towards NCC employees and the waste burner saga.
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ingo wagenknecht
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Lynda Edwards, I don't see how you can say Riverside is not pedestrian friendly when much of the area is pedestrian only. It also has both pedestrian and road bridges over the river that did not exist before. It also has a riverside path where only a road existed before it was built. It is well served with bus services too, so there is no need to go there by car. I fail to see how it could possibly be more pedestrian friendly.
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Derek Colman
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Green councillors. What do you expect if you vote them in?
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a fine city
Monday, September 24, 2012
Marigold - I entirely agree with you! Norfolk County Council has cut many jobs in the past few years so Mr Murphy cannot say about the loss of ASDA taking jobs away from other businesses - which is what it boils down to. People looked forward to the Riverside development - which has turned out to be a disaster for anyone without a car and who does not wish to shop in large corporate outlets - it is not pedestrian friendly to those of us who wish to walk from the Prince of Wales Road direction.
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Lynda Edwards
Monday, September 24, 2012
Let Councillor Murphy tell us how often County Councillors have voted against their officers planning recommendations in the last year, and to advise what store size limit ASDA should have had. It well exceeded what was acceptable in planning terms.
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bedoomed
Monday, September 24, 2012
Houses not Supermarkets
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Albert Cooper
Monday, September 24, 2012
Jobs need to be created but Brenda Arthur, needs to remember her own council has created job losses in its own building lets not forget that.
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chebram71
Monday, September 24, 2012
Houses or Greenspace and not more Supermarkets,we have Supermarket over kill already in Norwich
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Albert Cooper
Monday, September 24, 2012
Well done Mr Murphy, how many other items have you commented on without reading the reports!
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Marigold
Monday, September 24, 2012