Southend Central Area Action Plan

We act on behalf of our client, Tesco Stores Ltd and wish to make the following representations to the above documents.

Option Box 10 provides two options for the future development of the Queensway and Southchurch area of Southend centre.

Option 10a of the document states the area should be comprehensively redeveloped to provide new commercial office and residential uses linked to and including a large supermarket led development scheme on the former B&Q site. We agree with this option and in particular that the former B&Q site is suitable for a supermarket led development. As you may be aware, Tesco are in the process of preparing a planning application for a new store on stilts on the B&Q site and a new Youth Centre to the north of the Royal Mail site along Short Street (see enclosed Masterplan for further information). The application is due to be submitted in the end of August 2010.

We consider the supermarket is an appropriate use for the B&Q site and would result in several benefits to the site and surrounding area. The proposal would bring a much needed quality convenience store to an existing vacant site within the town centre which would help support the vitality and viability of the centre. The proposal would also bring hundreds of jobs to the centre and would include sustainability features such as a CHP plant, roof lights, rainwater harvesting and timber cladding.

In terms of the assessment of retail proposals, the proposed development has been assessed in terms of sequential issues and impact of existing town centres in line with the recently adopted PPS4. There have been no sequentially preferable sites identified that are suitable, available and viable for retail development and there would be no adverse impact on
the town centres. Rather, the proposed store would draw trade into the town centre from large out-of-centre stores and would result in a significant improvement to the convenience provision within the town centre. The proposed development would have the added benefit of encouraging linked trips between from customers to and from the town centre (especially with the proposed
new pedestrian bridge), thus further enhancing the vitality and viability of the town centre.

Whilst Tesco are not against the comprehensive redevelopment of the remainder of the Queensway and Southchurch area, any future policy should stress that development in the area will be piecemeal in nature and the redevelopment of the whole area would not be expected to be delivered through one planning application.

Recommendations
To summarise, we support Option 10a which advocates a supermarket led development on the former B&Q site on Short Street. However, the policy should specify that the redevelopment of the Queensway and Southchurch area will be brought forward by piecemeal development and not one planning application covering the whole area.

We act on behalf of our client, Tesco Stores Ltd and wish to make the following representations to the above documents.

Option Box 10 provides two options for the future development of the Queensway and Southchurch area of Southend centre.

Option 10a of the document states the area should be comprehensively redeveloped to provide new commercial office and residential uses linked to and including a large supermarket led development scheme on the former B&Q site. We agree with this option and in particular that the former B&Q site is suitable for a supermarket led development. As you may be aware, Tesco are in the process of preparing a planning application for a new store on stilts on the B&Q site and a new Youth Centre to the north of the Royal Mail site along Short Street (see enclosed Masterplan for further information). The application is due to be submitted in the end of August 2010.

We consider the supermarket is an appropriate use for the B&Q site and would result in several benefits to the site and surrounding area. The proposal would bring a much needed quality convenience store to an existing vacant site within the town centre which would help support the vitality and viability of the centre. The proposal would also bring hundreds of jobs to the centre and would include sustainability features such as a CHP plant, roof lights, rainwater harvesting and timber cladding.

In terms of the assessment of retail proposals, the proposed development has been assessed in terms of sequential issues and impact of existing town centres in line with the recently adopted PPS4. There have been no sequentially preferable sites identified that are suitable, available and viable for retail development and there would be no adverse impact on
the town centres. Rather, the proposed store would draw trade into the town centre from large out-of-centre stores and would result in a significant improvement to the convenience provision within the town centre. The proposed development would have the added benefit of encouraging linked trips between from customers to and from the town centre (especially with the proposed
new pedestrian bridge), thus further enhancing the vitality and viability of the town centre.

Whilst Tesco are not against the comprehensive redevelopment of the remainder of the Queensway and Southchurch area, any future policy should stress that development in the area will be piecemeal in nature and the redevelopment of the whole area would not be expected to be delivered through one planning application.

Recommendations
To summarise, we support Option 10a which advocates a supermarket led development on the former B&Q site on Short Street. However, the policy should specify that the redevelopment of the Queensway and Southchurch area will be brought forward by piecemeal development and not one planning application covering the whole area.

We act on behalf of our client, Tesco Stores Ltd and wish to make the following representations to the above documents.

Option Box 10 provides two options for the future development of the Queensway and Southchurch area of Southend centre.

Option 10a of the document states the area should be comprehensively redeveloped to provide new commercial office and residential uses linked to and including a large supermarket led development scheme on the former B&Q site. We agree with this option and in particular that the former B&Q site is suitable for a supermarket led development. As you may be aware, Tesco are in the process of preparing a planning application for a new store on stilts on the B&Q site and a new Youth Centre to the north of the Royal Mail site along Short Street (see enclosed Masterplan for further information). The application is due to be submitted in the end of August 2010.

We consider the supermarket is an appropriate use for the B&Q site and would result in several benefits to the site and surrounding area. The proposal would bring a much needed quality convenience store to an existing vacant site within the town centre which would help support the vitality and viability of the centre. The proposal would also bring hundreds of jobs to the centre and would include sustainability features such as a CHP plant, roof lights, rainwater harvesting and timber cladding.

In terms of the assessment of retail proposals, the proposed development has been assessed in terms of sequential issues and impact of existing town centres in line with the recently adopted PPS4. There have been no sequentially preferable sites identified that are suitable, available and viable for retail development and there would be no adverse impact on
the town centres. Rather, the proposed store would draw trade into the town centre from large out-of-centre stores and would result in a significant improvement to the convenience provision within the town centre. The proposed development would have the added benefit of encouraging linked trips between from customers to and from the town centre (especially with the proposed
new pedestrian bridge), thus further enhancing the vitality and viability of the town centre.

Whilst Tesco are not against the comprehensive redevelopment of the remainder of the Queensway and Southchurch area, any future policy should stress that development in the area will be piecemeal in nature and the redevelopment of the whole area would not be expected to be delivered through one planning application.

Recommendations
To summarise, we support Option 10a which advocates a supermarket led development on the former B&Q site on Short Street. However, the policy should specify that the redevelopment of the Queensway and Southchurch area will be brought forward by piecemeal development and not one planning application covering the whole area.

We act on behalf of our client, Tesco Stores Ltd and wish to make the following representations to the above documents.

Option Box 10 provides two options for the future development of the Queensway and Southchurch area of Southend centre.

Option 10a of the document states the area should be comprehensively redeveloped to provide new commercial office and residential uses linked to and including a large supermarket led development scheme on the former B&Q site. We agree with this option and in particular that the former B&Q site is suitable for a supermarket led development. As you may be aware, Tesco are in the process of preparing a planning application for a new store on stilts on the B&Q site and a new Youth Centre to the north of the Royal Mail site along Short Street (see enclosed Masterplan for further information). The application is due to be submitted in the end of August 2010.

We consider the supermarket is an appropriate use for the B&Q site and would result in several benefits to the site and surrounding area. The proposal would bring a much needed quality convenience store to an existing vacant site within the town centre which would help support the vitality and viability of the centre. The proposal would also bring hundreds of jobs to the centre and would include sustainability features such as a CHP plant, roof lights, rainwater harvesting and timber cladding.

In terms of the assessment of retail proposals, the proposed development has been assessed in terms of sequential issues and impact of existing town centres in line with the recently adopted PPS4. There have been no sequentially preferable sites identified that are suitable, available and viable for retail development and there would be no adverse impact on
the town centres. Rather, the proposed store would draw trade into the town centre from large out-of-centre stores and would result in a significant improvement to the convenience provision within the town centre. The proposed development would have the added benefit of encouraging linked trips between from customers to and from the town centre (especially with the proposed
new pedestrian bridge), thus further enhancing the vitality and viability of the town centre.

Whilst Tesco are not against the comprehensive redevelopment of the remainder of the Queensway and Southchurch area, any future policy should stress that development in the area will be piecemeal in nature and the redevelopment of the whole area would not be expected to be delivered through one planning application.

Recommendations
To summarise, we support Option 10a which advocates a supermarket led development on the former B&Q site on Short Street. However, the policy should specify that the redevelopment of the Queensway and Southchurch area will be brought forward by piecemeal development and not one planning application covering the whole area.

We act on behalf of our client, Tesco Stores Ltd and wish to make the following representations to the above documents.

Option Box 10 provides two options for the future development of the Queensway and Southchurch area of Southend centre.

Option 10a of the document states the area should be comprehensively redeveloped to provide new commercial office and residential uses linked to and including a large supermarket led development scheme on the former B&Q site. We agree with this option and in particular that the former B&Q site is suitable for a supermarket led development. As you may be aware, Tesco are in the process of preparing a planning application for a new store on stilts on the B&Q site and a new Youth Centre to the north of the Royal Mail site along Short Street (see enclosed Masterplan for further information). The application is due to be submitted in the end of August 2010.

We consider the supermarket is an appropriate use for the B&Q site and would result in several benefits to the site and surrounding area. The proposal would bring a much needed quality convenience store to an existing vacant site within the town centre which would help support the vitality and viability of the centre. The proposal would also bring hundreds of jobs to the centre and would include sustainability features such as a CHP plant, roof lights, rainwater harvesting and timber cladding.

In terms of the assessment of retail proposals, the proposed development has been assessed in terms of sequential issues and impact of existing town centres in line with the recently adopted PPS4. There have been no sequentially preferable sites identified that are suitable, available and viable for retail development and there would be no adverse impact on
the town centres. Rather, the proposed store would draw trade into the town centre from large out-of-centre stores and would result in a significant improvement to the convenience provision within the town centre. The proposed development would have the added benefit of encouraging linked trips between from customers to and from the town centre (especially with the proposed
new pedestrian bridge), thus further enhancing the vitality and viability of the town centre.

Whilst Tesco are not against the comprehensive redevelopment of the remainder of the Queensway and Southchurch area, any future policy should stress that development in the area will be piecemeal in nature and the redevelopment of the whole area would not be expected to be delivered through one planning application.

Recommendations
To summarise, we support Option 10a which advocates a supermarket led development on the former B&Q site on Short Street. However, the policy should specify that the redevelopment of the Queensway and Southchurch area will be brought forward by piecemeal development and not one planning application covering the whole area.