THE proposal to build a supermarket on the edge of Tavistock represents the biggest commercial and environmental threat the town has seen for many years, the chamber of commerce claims. Sainsbury?s recently lodged its plan for a supermarket on a 3.8-hectare site opposite Bishopsmead. It includes a store similar in size to Morrison?s next door, with a coffee shop, 16 business units, a four-pump petrol station, 349-space car park and recycling facilities. Following a public meeting at the Bedford Hotel earlier this month, local businesses and residents lodged more than 50 formal objections to the planning authority, West Devon Borough Council. Tavistock Chamber of Commerce has voted to oppose the Sainsbury?s planning application, as has Tavistock Business Association. The chamber believes that if planning permission is granted, there will be an increase in traffic in and around the site, causing ?major? congestion, and making it difficult to get in and out of the town. The chamber says it does not see ?any way? in which the development would benefit Tavistock or the surrounding area. Chamber chairman Nigel Eadie said: ?Sainsbury?s application to build a store on the edge of town represents the biggest threat to Tavistock commercially and environmentally for many years. ?We?ve nothing against Sainsbury?s or supermarkets in general, we just want to see the borough council doing what government says it should be doing, and that?s preventing economic ?leakage? from the town by making the town centre more attractive to retailers and shoppers. ?There are too many examples of big supermarkets developing on the edges of towns, and the town centres themselves just completely crumbling. ?It?s an irreversible process, and we should be galvanising the entire community, residents, business owners and retailers behind these efforts to prevent this application being granted by the borough council.? A total of 107 letters objecting to the application and five letters in support have been sent to the borough council. Five hundred people attended an exhibition by the supermarket giant in the Bedford Hotel in July. Sainsbury?s said 62% of respondents expressed support for the scheme. The application is expected to go before the borough council?s planning committee in October.
