Protest group is back as Tesco revives Hanham store plans

A campaign group set up to fight plans for a new supermarket in Hanham has been re-formed.

Tesco recently surprised local people by revealing it had applied for permission to build a store in Anstey's Road – six years after buying the former Kleeneze site.

Its proposal at the time, which also included some flats, led to a campaign against the scheme.

Tesco later withdrew the application before South Gloucestershire councillors had the chance to determine it. It resurrected its proposal in 2007 by putting on an exhibition, which it said was part of a consultation exercise. But no plans were put in and local people thought it had been abandoned.

Now those against the project have dusted off their placards and re-formed their Say No To Tesco Group. They have already distributed 3,000 leaflets to households in the area.

Its revival comes as Hanham Parish Council is about to hold an extraordinary meeting to give people the chance to have their say about the application.

Council chairman John Lewis said: "Tesco hasn't given us a proper opportunity to talk about this and as we are part of the consultation process, I want to hear the views of the public. We then only have a short time to get our response in to South Gloucestershire Council."

The meeting will be held at 7.30pm on April 14 at the Hanham Community Centre in High Street.

Margaret Berry, of Memorial Road, is one of those involved in the campaign against the supermarket giant.

Mrs Berry, 62, said: "Our group was in abeyance but we got it going again when Tesco made its recent announcement.

"The response we've had so far has been fantastic. We've had about 10 people putting 3,000 leaflets through doors and have also produced posters.

"Hanham is just recovering from Asda being at Longwell Green and we are concerned about the impact it will have on local shops.

"There are also concerns about the amount of traffic it will generate and the possible dangers of delivery lorries using our roads, especially to schoolchildren. We also think the store will be too big."

Tesco's plan is for a store with a gross area of 28,000 sq ft predominantly selling food. If approved, it will be staffed by about 150 workers, both full and part-time, with some workshops also provided for local businesses.

Tesco acquired the Sealtech site to add to the Kleeneze land, which it said allowed it to improve access arrangements and landscaping. Felix Gummer, Tesco's corporate affairs manager, also said a food store close to the High Street would help attract shoppers, who would use local shops as well.