The ‘Tesco’ Enquiry Begins  

With the opening of the public enquiry has the Tesco saga finally reached the end game?  Perhaps, but it will be a very long drawn-out end.  With only 3 weeks currently scheduled it was clear at the start that this might not be enough time for the main parties to present their evidence, even before hearing from all the other ‘interested parties’.  The main players couldn’t agree a common ‘window’ in their diaries ahead of next March, so the fourth week will commence 13^th March 2001.  After that we can expect the Secretary of State to take some considerable time before a final pronouncement. 

The main players are Carter Commercial Development, on behalf of Tesco, QD/Buyright, Babergh District Council, and the Ipswich and Norwich Cooperative Society.  The Tesco side are batting first and have outlined their case: that we should only reject this opportunity of a modern shopping facility if there are overriding concerns.  Unfortunately for Tesco there is a whole set of overriding concerns, and with three barristers ranged against them we should be confident that the opposition cases will be well made, that the decision of Babergh District Council to reject the Brett Works application should stand.  The Inspector has already shown herself to be very ready to allow questioning from the floor.  John Bloomfield, representing the owners of Sun Court has made an early and effective appearance to question Tesco’s conservation ‘expert’.  Several other ‘interested parties’ have since contributed to the questioning. 

It was the Tesco side who prompted a ‘call in’ when the Council announced they were prepared to grant QD’s application on the Buyright site.  Accordingly they have outlined the basis of their opposition: that it does not accord with planning policies, which discourage sites outside the town centre when a nearer site is available. 

The Coop has rejoined the battle at this late stage with an important claim that could potentially undermine the position of both applications.  Tesco and QD have a common interest in establishing a ‘retail case’ that says there is an unfulfilled need in Hadleigh for more store space selling food.  The Coop refutes this, citing their plans for extending the High Street store, which are already substantially approved.  Although a much smaller team than the other parties and under-weight on their paper submission, they have a credible case and their barrister’s early performance has been at least as strong as the others.  If the Coop could put together as effective a retail operation it might deserve to win. 

  Hadleigh Floods

At the time of rebuilding the Iron Bridge in 1987 the land in front of the Babergh Council offices was flooded almost to their door.

Hadleigh Remembers the Battle of Britain

    With airfields being so much part of the local wartime landscape it was appropriate that on Sunday 17^th September a memorial service took place around the Hadleigh War Memorial to commemorate the 60^th anniversary of the Battle of Britain.  Several local organisations are actively associated with the Royal Air Force, and they were all represented.

Jim Betteridge laid a wreath on behalf of the Suffolk Branch of the Aircrew Association. 

   
To round off the occasion a lone Spitfire flew straight up Benton Street, over the War Memorial, and continued up the High Street. 

   It circled to the East and repeated the circuit three times before departing to the North with a final wing-waggle

The National Scene

From the Civic Trust’s Civic Society Briefing

New Regional Heritage Officer

The Civic Trust has appointed Richard Scott as Regional Heritage Officer.  He will have the dual role of firstly supporting regional supporting groups and organising events.  Secondly he will aid and encourage Civic Societies and other local groups to undertake selected heritage or regeneration projects.

Concordat

The Planning User's Concordat:  an agreement between the Local Government Association (LGA), the business sector and the voluntary sector was published in July. The Civic Trust played a prominent role in the deliberations leading to the final document.  The result is a code of good practice promoting responsible and efficient participation in the planning and development process.
Available free from the Civic Trust. Tel. 0207 389 1369 or Email: shallam@civictrust.org.uk

Planning Appeal Rules

The Government has introduced new procedures into the handling of planning appeals. Taking effect from 1st August the intention is to streamline the process and enable quicker decision making by the Planning Inspectorate. The reforms introduce for the first time, rules for the conduct of hearings. These will take the form of a discussion led by the Inspector.  Cross-examination will only be permitted if the Inspector thinks it will be useful. These changes are set out in DETR Circular 05/00 Planning Appeals   procedures: including inquiries into called-in planning www.tsonline.co.uk 

Nibbled to Death

The American writer Bill Bryson, in his book 'Notes from a Small Island', says: the British have more heritage than is good for them. There is so much of it that it's easy to believe that you can take chunks of it - a half-timbered frontage here, some Georgian windows there, a few hundred yards of ancient hedge or dry stone wall - and there will be plenty left. In fact, the country is being nibbled to death.

Recent Meetings

Time Line

In August our former Chairman, John Bloomfield took us through an outline of Hadleigh’s history, drawing on material from a range of books that testified to its past importance.  Below we reproduce John’s list of the key events.  As with all Newsletter material, this will be put on the website, but in a special place where it can be added to.  If you have any events you think should be added, let us know.