TRADERS PUT THEIR CASE TO BRIDGWATER FORWARD



Eastover 'in the olden days'

Members of campaign group Bridgwater Forward welcomed representatives of traders in Eastover to their meeting last week, to discuss problems and solutions for independent traders in Bridgwater.

In spite of being overshadowed by ASDA, threatened by the possibility of a super-sized Tesco and surrounded by boarded-up premises, Eastover traders still manage to offer an amazing variety of retail outlets, along with excellent service.

Independent 

Sedgemoor District Council and the Bridgwater Retail Initiative should  consult with and represent the interests of independent traders more effectively, rather than focusing on large stores and supermarkets.

Bridgwater Forward is urging people to contact Post Offices Ltd and ask for the Post Office in Bridgwater to re-locate to Eastover rather than to Sainsbury’s store. This will to help lead to a re-generation of a retail area competing with ASDA.

 'Clean up Eastover'

 A “Clean-up Eastover” campaign was also discussed, and the group will approach Sedgemoor District Council about this.

Above all, Bridgwater Forward urges local people to respect and use their local shops. Said one member: “ For fresh bread, cakes and flowers, good second-hand furniture and books, great food and pubs, and all your “do-it-yourself “ requirements, you can’t do better than Eastover, so let’s use them, so we don’t lose them”.

NEXT MEETING OF BRIDGWATER FORWARD: Tuesday 7^th August, 7pm, Railway Club, Wellington Road, Bridgwater

CAMPAIGN ALERT AS TESCO BID IMMINENT

Tesco’s plan to build a massive and unnecessary supermarket on the Brewery Fields is on the move and Bridgwater Forward is urging local people to prepare to make formal objections.

A pre-planning application has been submitted for council officials’ initial comments. Tesco will then submit a formal planning application to the Council’s Planning Committee, rumoured to coincide with the end of August holidays.

As more green spaces in town centres disappear, along with sports and playing fields, Bridgwater Forward is campaigning to raise awareness of the effect the sale of the Brewery Field to a huge corporation will have on our community and landscape, both now and in the future.

The Government’s recently published National Planning Policy Framework gives specific guidelines to protect green spaces and minimize the effect of development on biodiversity. Green spaces must be proved to be surplus to requirement, before they can be developed. Any loss of open space should be replaced by the equivalent in area and quality

 The proposed development of Northgate will also mean the demolition of the Enterprise Centre, the former hospital wing of the Bridgwater Workhouse and some forty trees, including cedar, walnuts, lime, field and Norway maples, home to nesting birds and a safe food source for bees.

For more information and guidelines on how to prepare a formal objection contact Bridgwater Forward on 01278 450562 or 450095. 

Find us on our website at http://bridgwaterforward.blogspot.co.uk or on Facebook: "Save Bridgwater Town Centre"

The next meeting of Bridgwater Forward is at 7pm on Tuesday 24^th July at the Railway Club, Wellington Road, Bridgwater

SAVE OUR TOWN CENTRE – BRING BACK OUR POST OFFICE!

Campaign group Bridgwater Forward welcomed the news that Post Office Ltd are holding a public consultation over the siting of Bridgwater’s Post Office, but say that a public meeting with a regional network manager is not enough.

Bridgwater Forward says that local MP Ian Liddell-Grainger should meet with the head of Post Office Ltd to demand that they replace our present Portakabin with a town centre, Crown Post Office. He should also raise the matter in the House of Commons as a matter of urgency for the town. We have lacked decent post office facilities for too long now.

Disgrace

Said Chair Sally Jones:  “Our MP says what has happened to our post office facilities is a disgrace, but what is he planning to DO about it?”

Bridgwater Forward was set up because the destruction of the town’s swimming pool and the proposal to build a Tesco Extra, threatens the viability of our town centre. Just as a giant Tesco will draw trade away from our town centre shops, a town centre post office will bring people into the town. 

 Not Good Enough

 Said Co-Chair Dave Chapple: “ We have seen far too many public consultations in Bridgwater which result in people’s wishes being totally ignored. The loss of a town centre post office and its effect on our town and its people should be raised at the highest level possible. Post Office Ltd apparently want just the cheap, safe option in Sainsbury’s. That is not good enough!” 

The next meeting of Bridgwater Forward is on Tuesday 24^th July, 7.15pm, at the Railway Club, Wellington Road, Bridgwater: All welcome!

Further details contact 01278 450562

TESCO PRE-APPLICATION IS IN



NO TESCO WANTED-BRIDGWATER

People concerned at the planned Tesco development on Northgates Brewery field should be aware that the 'Pre-Planning' Application is currently being considered by Sedgemoor District Council officers.  Campaign Group Bridgwater Forward has been warning for some months that this is imminent .

disclosure

NO TESCO WANTED-HACKNEY

Glen Burrows  of Bridgwater Forward said "Now that the pre-application is in,  we need to get ready for the main planning application. At the moment we are querying whether SDC has the right to refuse disclosure of the pre-planning application even to councillors."

public domain

NO TESCO WANTED- BRISTOL

Cllr Brian Smedley said "The idea is apparently to tease out issues which are potential non starters and is said to be fairly common practice for large pre application consultations  involving various officers on an internal consultation basis within Sedgemoor.  We are being told that as it is a draft it is technically not in the public domain. However, this needs to be brought into the public domain as soon as possible and elected members need to know what's going on. People can be reasonably assured that we are rapidly approaching 'end game ' on this one"

NO TESCO WANTED-YORKSHIRE

meetings

Anyone who wants to support the Campaign against the development is invited to attend the meetings  at the Railway Club on Wellington Road, Bridgwater-the dates are  10th July, 24th July, 7th August, 28th August. All 7pm. 

NO TESCO WANTED-CAMBRIDGE