Occasionally we hear about supermarkets trying to move into Teddington – Waitrose have been looking for somewhere for quite some time but couldn’t find anywhere big enough with adequate parking. There have been rumours about Sainsbury’s trying too and now plans have been submitted to Richmond Council.
The on the corner of Langham Road and High Street (near The Landmark Arts Centre) does seem to have a high-turnover of different businesses and we thought that high-end furniture store Calligaris might have found a long-term home there but apparently not :/
The plans can be found online here and objections have already been made. If you wish to lodge an objection, remember to stick to Richmond Council’s guidelines on how make a valid objection to plans.
The A1 (shop) license that the building was granted on the basis that food could not be sold there. Why does Sainsbury’s think this can be changed? We don’t know! But’s obvious that the Council originally thought that other nearby local food-selling businesses need to be protected so we think this should still apply.
A 7am-11pm daily opening time is likely (11pm currently served by franchise Budgens 500m away) and Marks & Spencer is only 250m away – it’s not clear then what the need for another supermarket in town the size of Teddington would be. Plans are indicating that most would walk or cycle here so shoppers could just as easily shop at M&S.
We believe that aside from a slightly shorter walk for some, the town wouldn’t really benefit from this additional supermarket chain and it would be more detrimental to existing, independent businesses who already suffer from this type of competition. Due to it’s small size and parking provision, it’s not likely that it would bring many additional shoppers to the area. Even the name “Sainsbury’s Local” is somewhat misleading! This might be geographically local but certainly not in nature.
If you wish to object, use one of more of these reasons:
Visual amenity, adequacy of parking/loading/turning, road safety, highway safety, traffic generation, noise/disturbance, design/appearance of building (especially when put into context of our lovely almshouses opposite), previous planning decisions.
Don’t make it about:
House prices, changes to a view, the impact of construction work, personal or moral views. Also the Council mentions not making it about ‘competition between firms’ which is a tricky one – really that might be our strongest point, so although it might be in the forefront of your minds, mention the legitimate reasons as your main ones!
Council planning page for apllication 12/3584/FUL.
Kirsten Brown, we salute you! One of the many objections already made against the plans:
“Teddington was shown in all its glory last week at the Teddington Lights Up – supported by local small business owners and shop keepers. It has a valuable village charm which locals are striving to keep.
To add another supermarket to our locality would be completely superfluous to requirement. There are numerous cafes and food outlets along the High Street and their livelihoods and businesses would all be at jeopardy if another large organisation were to move in.”
The main plans had to be re-submitted due to an error with the address given so there is more time to object (until 20th March 2013). The separate alcohol license (7am-11pm) submitted is also receiving strong objections from residents, groups and also the Teddington Police team who fear a return to problems in nearby Udney Hall Gardens.
For more info, check out this group that has been setup to fight the plans.
The Richmond and Twickenham Times will be taking photos of those protesting the proposed store at 9am on Monday 25th March 2013 at the Calligaris site so if anyone agrees with the objection and is free, please join the crowd for the picture! Leo King has also created some fab placards (above) for some to use.
The licensing hearing on 11th April 2013 ended up with Richmond Council granting the license with 14 stipulations including slightly shortened alcohol-selling hours (8am-10pm) – a move that lead the local police team to drop their objection. There is a chance to appeal this decision and the case for the planning proposals will be held separately.
You can pick one of these up at Heirloom, Card Collection, Simply Skin and Gardenia.
I am very pleased to see your site fighting Sainsbury’s. They have now applied for 24 hour opening and a licquor licence – despite the very loud objections, the fact that the site is in the Lock Conservation area, the serious police concerns about alcohol and violence and the groundswell of opinion from local residents that we just do not want it. Clearly Sainsbury’s do not care for the integrity and amenity value of the ares they try to exploit…………..
Hi Richard, nice to meet you at the police PLG meeting. It does seem like a battle on two fronts – planning objections and separately the licensing application.
As the Councillor mentioned, the currently food restriction is mostly in place due to traffic and safety concerns so planning objections should mostly concentrate on this.
Teddington Police officers are strongly objecting to the alcohol license whilst reminding everyone of the problems there used to be with large groups meeting and drinking in Udney Park Gardens. Having a supermarket right next door could easily see a return of this again.
I see Molesey beat them off and using the same style of objections – see this link:
http://www.richmondandtwickenhamtimes.co.uk/archive/2013/03/15/news_elmbridge/10292459.Cheers_as_Sainsbury_s_store_rejected/
Let us hope that our Ward Councillors will understand the huge local business and residents hostility to this proposal. Objections must be lodged by 20th – next Wednesday.
Help protect our conservation area and our town – Object!!
I think its an absoulute disgrace that Sainsbury’s are trying to muscle in on an area that is well served with supermarkets already.
Surely the residents of Teddington won’t allow this. Stand up and be counted!
Did anyone object to M&S when they came to Teddington? What if Waitrose decided to apply for permission to use the proposed Sainsbury’s site? Would people object then? Can you honestly, hand on heart, say you wouldn’t prefer Waitrose to Sainsbury’s?
I think the vast majority of people opposing this proposal are plain and simple snobs.
Hi Chris, we know some have that impression but it is change of use of site in an already-crowded Conservation area that is being objected too by residents – not the brand of supermarket.
The traffic disruption, parking and deliveries would be the same regardless of supermarket brand. Yes M&S did receive objections when planned, and that was with a decent sized card park. The Sainsbury’s Local only had 6 spaces planned so if it did attract shoppers to the area, it would have brought parking chaos along with them.
Also were you aware current tenant Callagaris would like to remain and continue trading (especially after their investment for refitting the interior when they moved in)? Many think the site will remain empty and argue a Sainsbury’s “local” would be better than an empty site without realising existing tenants were hoping to renew the lease…
See their letter on the site: http://sainsburysteddington.wordpress.com
Hope you find above useful. Many thanks for writing in! TLTeddington team.
The benefit of a Sainsbury’s local are substantially outweighed by the disadvantages. At Kew Bridge the rubbish bin regularly overflows, the Sainsbury’s staff smoke, in uniform, on the forecourt and drop the associated litter on the ground, delivery vans and customer cars obstruct residents access to their own car park on a regular basis and some customers (by no means all) turn what is a very nice area into an unattractive picnic area. Overall – not good neighbours. I would prefer an empty site!!!
I am really pleased to see Sainsburys have won their appeal and will be opening in Teddington. This is exactly what this quiet end of the High Street needs with investment from a well known supermarket group. Many new jobs will be created and the increase in visitor numbers will provide much needed business to the local shops, bars, cafes and restaurants. Well done Sainsburys!!!!!
This is exactly what this end of an already congested High
Street does not want! How will local businesses and jobs
benefit? I fail to see how an Local-type small supermarket with inadequate parking facilities, located on a busy corner site, opposite a nursery where parents deposit and collect their small children, be an appropriate place to shop! Not
enough consideration for local residents (which I am not!)
has been shown. These supermarkets are swamping our towns
and villages all over the country. Enough already!