The planning authority met at North Dorset District Council for a committee meeting today, to consider two separate proposals put forward by supermarket giants Tesco and Asda, the former hopes to extend their store at the Stour Park site and the latter wishes to build a store, petrol station and industrial units at Shaftesbury Lane.
SCOOP - Of todays planning authority committee meeting a NDDC spokeswoman has told The Blandford Buzz the following -
Asda didn't attend todays said meeting as their application only became valid a few days ago on the 15th of December.
Tesco attended todays meeting though it was deferred because the district council first of all needs to know if there is anything in Asdas application which may impact Tescos application - for instance if there are 2 supermarket giants in Blandford Forum selling much the same things, what negative impact will this have on the town centre ?
The Blandford Buzz understands that Tesco have admitted that if their store is extended that the expansion will probably cause a harm to Blandford town centre and therefore Tesco shall contribute towards different schemes to enhance the town centre.
The Blandford Buzz makes the following comments -
1) If Tesco in the future eventuality of the Stour Park store being enlarged, were to contribute towards different schemes to enhance Blandfords town centre, it would personally make me feel very uncomfortable because in my own opinion any said contribution of this nature would smell rather like a type of corporate bribery
2) If Tesco in the future does make any such contribution towards the enhancement of Blandfords town centre in my view it would be like cutting yourself and then sticking a plaster on
3) North Dorset District Council what are your proposals to protect Blandford town centre and the independent shops therein ?
The Blandford Buzz hopes that it's a lot more than just one day of free parking at Christmas time...
Please use the comments box below to comment on any aspect of this blog article in the red box below this post