Ilkley MP wants Tesco to state its intentions

8:58am Thursday 16th August 2007

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THE chief executive of supermarket chain Tesco has been asked to make his intentions for Ilkley clear.

Ilkley and Keighley MP Ann Cryer has written to Tesco boss Sir Terry Leahy, asking for clarification of the company's intentions for Ilkley, amid plans to relocate the Springs Lane supermarket to a new store on Railway Road.

Mrs Cryer spoke to opponents of the new store at a meeting of campaign group Ilkley Residents Against Tesco Encroachment (IRATE) last week, hearing the main objections of local residents directly.

"I have asked the Chief Executive to let me know what Tesco's plans for Ilkley are. It is important that we get some clarification," she said.

"Clearly a larger Tesco will have serious repercussions for Ilkley and the current traders and will have an impact on traffic flows. I will be raising all these issues with the chief executive of Tesco.

Mrs Cryer is also urging councillors to take a critical look' at the expected planning application for the store when it is submitted to Bradford Council.

She said: "In terms of planning, responsibility lies with local government and I hope that the local councillors in Ilkley will take a critical look at any planning application and ensure that the views of our constituents are represented."

Protests against the plans have grown since consultation sessions were arranged by Tesco, and the Ilkley Gazette has been inundated with letters from readers over the last few weeks objecting to the building of a larger store.

Online poll says 'no'

MORE than 80 per cent of Ilkley people are against Tesco building a new supermarket on Railway Road, according to our online poll.

The poll, which ran on the Ilkley Gazette website at (www.ilkleygazette.co.uk) for several weeks, gained responses from more than 300 people, with the vast majority opposing Tesco's relocation from Springs Lane.

It was also one of the best-subscribed polls on contentious local issues to have run on our website to date.

In the end 246 people - equal to 83.1 per cent of the vote - were against Tesco moving to the proposed new build supermarket on Railway Road.

Only 50 people, around 16.9 per cent of the vote, were in favour of the planned Tesco move. The issue has also attracted comments both for and against the new store on our website, where a special section has been set up for all the latest developments on the debate.

Opposition to Tesco plans growing - click here for full story