Campaigners welcome Tesco store bid

News Archive > General > Campaigners welcome Tesco store bid

Warren Wilkins27/06/2012

CAMPAIGNERS have welcomed potential plans to open a massive Tesco outlet at a proposed £20 million retail hub in Newquay.

Residents Against Inappropriate Development (RAID), which is fighting a proposal to sell part of Newquay Tretherras to the supermarket chain, believes the 100-acre Trevithick Manor Farm site, which is opposite Morrisons, would be a more suitable location.

Tesco and Sainsbury’s are understood to be in negotiation with developer Kingsley about moving to the site.

The Secretary of State for Education, Michael Gove, is still to decide whether Tretherras can sell its playing fields to Tesco while Sainsbury’s is believed to be looking to open a larger store in the Newquay area.

RAID objects to the Tretherras scheme as it believes the academy will need the land in future and has fears Chester Road shops would face closure. The group also has concerns about traffic, noise and the safety of schoolchildren.

RAID member Dave Nickels, who runs Drury’s Pharmacy in Chester Road, said: “I think it makes sense that Tesco went next to Morrisons as the infrastructure is already there.

“Residents and businesses in this area would be relieved. There has never been a campaign against Tesco coming to Newquay.”

Tretherras Cornwall councillor Patrick Lambshead believes the Trevithick site would be more suitable, but fears it could have a detrimental impact on the proposed Newquay Growth Area.
He said: “I understand Tesco has approached Kingsley. It is a very good site but if Tesco comes to Newquay in the foreseeable future it could jeopardise the Growth Area. A supermarket on the Growth Area will help pay for the infrastructure, such as the strategic road. Without a strategic route the Growth Area would not be able to go ahead.”

Developer Kingsley is keen to emulate the West Cornwall Shopping Park at Hayle, which includes M&S, Next and Boots, at the Trevithick Manor Farm site.

The company is also in talks with a national coffee shop chain and a national fast food outlet. The developer additionally wants to build a 60-bedroom hotel, food and craft hall, car dealership and a nature reserve as part of its multi-million pound plans, which will generate around 450 jobs.

Project manager John Marshall said: “At the moment we are not far off but we have not got to the point of confirming the name of the operators. Until we have got a company signed up we cannot go public. Two major food stores are very keen and we are working with them very closely.

“We have got to do a retail assessment. We know what the guidance is and we know there is a need in Newquay for a store. What we propose is a similar store to Morrisons, which would probably be larger.

“It will give customers a choice to shop. At the moment they have not really got a choice. Hopefully it will get planning consent. A national coffee shop chain and a national fast food outlet have got a requirement for Newquay and want to go into our site.

“We are also very close to signing a major high street retailer. We want to emulate the shopping park at Hayle, which has M&S and Next.

“We genuinely feel that Hayle has done well from that development. It has put Hayle on the map and other projects have progressed from it, such as the harbour scheme. The development we are proposing for Newquay will be bigger and better. The lower part of the site is getting close to a flood plain. The land is used by Rowlands Fair, the daredevil stunt show and car boot sales.

“We are looking to create a nature reserve area where people walk and enjoy the open space.”