Last night, despite a wealth of opposition from local residents and retailers, Bristol City Council approved Sainsbury’s plans to build a massive 100,000sq.ft superstore on Bristol City Football Club’s ground. It will be the largest supermarket in the South-West.
Sickening, devastating, depressing.
You might recall that the Council had previously rejected an earlier application. Sainsbury’s subsequently made some comparatively minor modifications to the original scheme but the principles, scale and hugely-detrimental environmental implications remained the same – not to mention the devastating impact on local retailers.
The Council’s own planners had recommended refusal.
The Council’s own commissioned detailed study had concluded that the negative retail impact of the store on Bedminster/Southville would outweigh any benefits.
But significantly and alarmingly, five new councillors helped decide on the plan after some regular members of the committee stood aside because of ABUSE they suffered after the previous hearing.
Victory through intimidation? That CANNOT be right.
Before a final decision can be made, the application has to be sent to central government to consider whether the Secretary of State should become involved…. one can only hope that justice prevails.
But I’m not holding my breath.
Big Business. Big Money. Big Influence. Big Mistake.
Sickening, devastating, depressing.
You might recall that the Council had previously rejected an earlier application. Sainsbury’s subsequently made some comparatively minor modifications to the original scheme but the principles, scale and hugely-detrimental environmental implications remained the same – not to mention the devastating impact on local retailers.
The Council’s own planners had recommended refusal.
The Council’s own commissioned detailed study had concluded that the negative retail impact of the store on Bedminster/Southville would outweigh any benefits.
But significantly and alarmingly, five new councillors helped decide on the plan after some regular members of the committee stood aside because of ABUSE they suffered after the previous hearing.
Victory through intimidation? That CANNOT be right.
Before a final decision can be made, the application has to be sent to central government to consider whether the Secretary of State should become involved…. one can only hope that justice prevails.
But I’m not holding my breath.
Big Business. Big Money. Big Influence. Big Mistake.
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