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Public meeting over Leeds Tesco plan - COMMENT ON THIS STORY
A public meeting is to be staged over a controversial plan to redevelop a Tesco store in Leeds.
Under the plans drawn by the company, the store in Roundhay Road, Oakwood, and the neighbouring Homebase would be demolished to be replaced by a new Tesco superstore.
The supermarket says its scheme would create 260 jobs and secure the future for 300 existing staff.
But the planning application has run into opposition from some people in the neighbourhood who complain the new store would be double the size of the current one and are concerned at the impact it could have on the area.
Residents have set up a website – www.haveour say.co.uk – which gives details of the plan and explains how people can object.
It says that by the end of May there had been 177 on-line objections with the scale of the redevelopment, potential traffic congestion and its possible effect on the nearby Oakwood shops listed as some of the concerns.
The public meeting has been organised by Roundhay councillors at Roundhay Methodist Church Hall, Springwood Road, on June 24 at 7.30pm.
Plans of the proposed development will be on display and officers from the council's planning and highways Departments will be attending. Representatives from Tesco have also been invited.
Coun Valerie Kendall (Con, Roundhay) said: "This is a major development for the Oakwood area, and people understandably have concerns, mainly regarding any additional traffic and the potential effect on the nearby Oakwood shopping centre.
"In addition, Tesco's proposal to include a filling station on the site has raised doubts about the future of the existing filling station nearby. Myself and my ward colleagues are pleased to chair the public meeting to give as many people as possible the chance to air their views."
Fabian Hamilton MP (Lab, Leeds North East) has also met with residents to discuss their concerns and has written to people living in the area telling them how they can object to Tesco's proposal.
A planning application has been submitted to the council and is expected to go before its east plans panel later this year.
Michael Kissman, Tesco's corporate affairs manager, said Tesco had conducted extensive public consultation before submitting the planning application. It had listened to people's views and amended its original plans to take account of some concerns.
Changes included moving the store closer to the Oakwood district centre to strengthen its links with local shops.
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Friday 25 May 2012
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