A group of Thame residents is planning a campaign to oppose a proposal for a Tesco store and petrol station on the outskirts of the town, because they fear its effects on them and on town centre businesses.
Chair of the East Thame Residents Association, Bob Austin, told Thamenews.net: “Our reasons for opposing the Tesco development- subject to confirmation at a general meeting- are based on of its potentially adverse impact on residents in the surrounding area as well as on the prosperity of the town centre itself. In particular:
1. The DAF site is surrounded on three sides by residential dwellings and the scale of the development would seriously affect the quality of life of those people living there. The superstore would be open from 7am to 11pm- we presume the petrol station would be the same (?)- and the noise and light pollution could be a serious problem. The latter would obviously be exacerbated by delivery vehicles. Traffic on the bypass could be problematic and would need to be carefully managed.
2.The DAF site is zoned for employment use only and would require a ‘change of use’. The latter normally requires a one year period of advertising to establish a justification for change. Given the uncertainties imposed by the Local Plan 2031 on housing numbers for Thame, the site should not be waved through for change of use automatically before future needs are clear.
3.The building of a superstore would be contrary to the Thame Neighbourhood Plan (TNP). Page 28 of that document states: “Thame is a small town and any major shopping development outside the town centre would be likely to undermine the town’s vitality and the viability of town centre shops”. These words are a confirmation of an independent study undertaken when Tesco previously sought an edge of town superstore.
4.The TNP identified an additional food (or convenience) retail need of only 600 sq. metres (6500 sq. feet) by 2027. The new superstore would be six and a half times that size. As a community we should address need not just convenience.
5. We are concerned at the potential to replace the employment land at DAF by other sites around the town. The additional land (not in the TNP) given to the new warehousing on Howland Road was in part justified as replacing the employment land taken by the ‘permitted development’ conversion of the old Angus Fire Armour Offices into flats.
“Any decision on the DAF site development should not undermine the well-being of residents or of town centre itself. Thame is justly proud of its ability to resist the retail blight that has hit other towns and should continue to do so.
“The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) emphasises that the promotion of town centre vitality must be the core policy. We would urge that Thame Town Council ensure this is the case by commissioning its own study, independent of that required of Tesco, and supporting the conclusions of the Neighbourhood Plan. The latter may bend but it should not be allowed to break.”
Editor: A response from Thame Town Council and South Oxfordshire District Council is awaited
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