Monday, September 1, 2014

Hayle Supermarket Wars and ASDA on South Quay.



How ASDA ended up on South Quay, Hayle.

As Mayor, and a Hayle Town Councillor for the last seven years, and active on Social Media I am becoming aware that many people did not follow the developments of the "Supermarket Battles" or the recent history of South Quay and Hayle Harbour, and don't understand how an ASDA ended up being built on SouthQuay, Hayle.

I recently posted an explanation on Facebook which has received some praise, so I will re-post it here to help people understand.



 The Harbour came into the possession of ING around 2004, and amongst the various plans and proposals, South Quay renovation was starting to look like being the last phase of the overall development.

Suddenly supermarkets took an interest in Hayle, because of its position on the road network and its potential catchment area. Morrisons wanted the Jewson’s site at Carnsew, Sainsbury wanted to build on Loggans Moor nature reserve and marsh, and ASDA wanted to build on the Rugby Club. All of these wanted to come to Hayle, but the Penwith Retail study of 2007, (and the later Cornwall Retail Study 2010) which was evidence the planners are obliged to rely on said there WAS scope for an additional supermarket in Hayle, but ONLY ONE.

This made it a “Battle of the supermarkets” but then ING joined in by proposing their South Quay site for a supermarket development, without any supermarket brand being signed up.

ING’s advisors had learned something that the local councillors, and people interested in planning were to discover. Sequential Tests.

These were and are strong parts of government guidelines on planning, and serve to ensure development is in the best, or least harmful sites.

The Retail Sequential Test stated that a supermarket development site closest to an existing shopping centre is the preferred option as it enable footfall to the supermarket to be close to existing shops so they have a chance to compete for the new potential customers. (This put South Quay in the lead.)

The Flooding Sequential Test meant that sites least likely to be flooded or most easily protected against flooding are preferred sites (This effectively knocked Sainsbury out)

The two proposals, ASDA and Sainsbury both on Marsh Lane, also had largely unresolved Traffic and Transport issues with the already overloaded roundabout at Loggans Moor/Carwin.

These were the planning issues and policies that set ING’s South Quay as the Number One preferred site for a supermarket development.

Added to that were the additional “Planning Gains” for the South Quay site of ING having to carry out the highly expensive repairs to South Quay and Carnsew Quay, exposing and excavating Carnsew Dock and the Carnsew Sluice, replacing the sluice gates and repairing the sluice tunnels (“Black Houses”) so a sluicing regime could be restarted, making contributions to road improvements around Hayle, contributing to the new railway station approach, building a bridge from its supermarket to Penpol Terrace shops, and new routes through ISIS Gardens to Foundry, public promenade all around South Quay and public entertainment and recreation areas.
The final benefit was ING’s offer to hand ownership and control of the harbour over to a Hayle body.|

The South Quay supermarket planning application was the clear winner on planning grounds.

Originally ING were negotiating with Sainsbury, but they dropped out when they got the Penzance Heliport site, then ASDA switched from supporting the Rugby Club site and came to South Quay.

Graham.

Friday, June 20, 2014

HAYLE NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN FIRST SURVEY

This is to start people finding out about Hayle Neighbourhood Plan and a request for people to fill in a simple short introductory survey to get us started.

Say what you love about Hayle and what you wish could change in this very short survey.

(Hayle Neighbourhood Plan website and then the surveys tab or just link here
http://np.hayle.net/surveys/ ). Please complete it before July 22nd 2014 to get your voi
ce heard.
Information about the neighbourhood plan is on the website and you may also like to participate through the Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/hayleneighbourhoodplan .
You can do the survey if you live in Hayle, work in Hayle, visit Hayle, come from Hayle, want to return to Hayle, (making sure there is affordable housing and/ or affordable land to build houses is something the Hayle Neighbourhood Plan can make happen!).

http://np.hayle.net/


(Stolen and reproduced from Lucy Frears, unashamedly copied here! Graham Coad.)

Thursday, June 12, 2014

HAYLE PARKING ON PAVEMENTS




The issues of people parking cars and vans on pavements throughout Hayle has come up at Hayle Town council meetings more than once in recent times, and now a ‘mini campaign’ has started on the council’s Facebook page about people parking on the pavement in front of Hayle War Memorial, especially at this time marking the 100th anniversary of the start of the First World War, and the 70th anniversary of D Day. People complained it was “a disgrace”.

These issues mainly occur in the evenings and for some reason the pavement “build outs” around junctions along the main road in Hayle and the pavement in front of the War Memorial are attractive to people thoughtlessly parking on pavements.


Pavements are for people, pedestrians, for their safety and convenience.

These matters have been reported to local police, in person and via the Town Clerk’s office, but the Police Community Support Officers who patrol the town do not have the power to issue fixed penalty tickets, the Traffic Wardens were taken from the control of local police and passed to Cornwall Council, so Hayle no longer has a dedicated Traffic Warden and the Cornwall Council wardens are seldom seen in Hayle, (and never in the evenings?).

Hayle Town Council pay for the upkeep of our War Memorial, but no one seems to know who actually OWNS it and the Town Clerk’s team are looking into it. We are fairly sure the pavement in front of it is ordinary pavement the same as anywhere else, and bollards to prevent parking have been suggested.

It seems that the parking issues at the War Memorial may coincide with certain local groups having functions or practice sessions at the nearby Passmore Edwards Institute, if so “You know who you are – please stop parking on the pavement by the War Memorial”

The local police are aware and fixed penalty tickets might be issued if the pavements are being obstructed.

Wednesday, June 4, 2014

HAYLE OUTDOOR SWIMMING POOL OPENING JUNE 21ST FOR SUMMER.

The Swimming Pool is due to open again on Saturday 21 June 2014 and will be open daily from 11am to 6pm, weather permitting, until Sunday 7 September 2014.

We can confirm that entrance prices have not been increased for the third year in a row and once again season tickets will be available to purchase. In fact, we are promoting a pre-payment arrangement to allow regular users to pay for season tickets in instalments, prior to the opening. Contact the Clerk’s office for details.

We are also pleased to be able to confirm that the Town Council has agreed to continue with the free entry to the pool on Tuesdays for all residents of Hayle and/or the TR27 postal code area. This scheme proved to be very popular last year and the idea is to give something back to all who contribute to it. Free Tuesday Swim Passes may be obtained from the Pool office upon proof of residence and identification.

In the meantime, there is much hard work being undertaken once again, mostly by a team of volunteers. Members of Friends of Hayle Pool, Hayle Model Boat Club, the Town Council and local users have combined forces to prepare the pool for the season. 

 If you would like to get involved feel free to come and join the merry team every Saturday throughout June, from 10am.(From Ellie Giggal, Town Clerk)
.

Thursday, May 22, 2014

HAYLE SOUTH QUAY RENOVATION AND REPAIR TO QUAY WALLS




Long awaited repairs to Hayle's South Quay harbour walls and a repair to the collapsed section opposite Penpol Terrace Hayle are due to start in the next week or so.

Part of the general redevelopment of South Quay and the building of the iconic supermarket to be occupied by ASDA the quays have stood in a decaying and dilapidated state for decades but are now to be repaired and brought up to a safe and usable state including the large collapsed section that highlighted the air of neglect and decay.

This is also approximately the location for the footbridge from the South Quay 3 hour free parking area to the Penpol Terrace shopping area to improve access for locals and encourage ASDA shoppers to explore the existing character shops of Penpol and Foundry.

Graham.

Monday, May 19, 2014

HAYLE RETAIL DEVELOPMENT APPLICATIONS MEETING POSTPONED

HAYLE RETAIL DEVELOPMENT APPLICATIONS MEETING POSTPONED

This morning the Clerk met with Jeremy Content, CC planning officer, and in conjunction with the Mayor, they have agreed to postpone the meeting scheduled for Wednesday evening. There are several reasons for this.

We are at a point where we have no definitive response from Cornwall Highways or the Highway Agency, who are waiting for the updated retail information especially related to trip patterns. We are also waiting for a response from GVA regarding the additional survey that has been conducted further to the 2010 Cornwall Retail Study. If they, GVA, are satisfied that the 2010 figures remain robust then the Highways people will have confidence the highways model work that has been carried out and therefore will be in a position to make a recommendation. Jeremy has also confirmed that the Highways Agency has now placed 'holding directions' on both applications, so no decision can be made until these are lifted and they are satisfied that they have the right information to respond.

Jeremy's best, optimistic, guess is that this information will be available by the end of May. A meeting will be reconvened, when and only when all of the information is in.

It would be appreciated if you could help by spreading the word too.