A HUGE redevelopment of Huddersfield town centre is to go ahead.
The Government’s Planning Inspectorate last night gave the green light to Tesco’s controversial proposal to build a supermarket at Southgate.
The verdict clears the way for Kirklees Council to demolish the Huddersfield Sports Centre and build a £35m replacement at Springwood.
Council leader Clr Mehboob Khan, welcomed the Planning Inspectorate’s decision.
“This will be a significant boost for the local economy,” said the Greenhead Labour man.
“It will create hundreds of construction jobs at the Tesco and at the new sports centre.
“This decision ends the uncertainty about the sports centre and in a couple of years Huddersfield will have a sports centre which will be the envy of other places in the North of England.
“The regeneration of the Tesco site at Viaduct Street can also be realised now, with first-class office accommodation and a high-class hotel.”
But Clr Khan’s Labour colleague Barry Sheerman last night branded the Planning Inspectorate’s decision “a disaster”.
“I think it’s appalling,” said the Huddersfield MP.
“This sort of decision up and down the country will destroy local communities and local towns.
“I spoke from the heart at the inquiry about the disaster which Tesco would bring to the town.”
The council last February gave Tesco planning permission to build a new store at Southgate as part of a wider reorganisation of the town centre.
Huddersfield Sports Centre and the Ibbotson and Richmond Flats at Southgate would be demolished to make way for the development.
The 24-hour supermarket would be two-and-a-half times bigger than the company’s current town centre shop at Viaduct Street – which itself would make way for hotel, offices, bars and apartments.
Kirklees Council would also build a £35m replacement sports centre at Spring Grove Car Park.
However, the whole redevelopment stalled last June when Barry Sheerman persuaded the Government to investigate the Tesco plan.
Planning inspector Robert Mellor held a two-week inquiry at the Hudawi Centre in November.
His findings were released yesterday.
Mr Mellor recommended that planning permission be granted because the Southgate Tesco would have “significant positive economic, social and environmental benefits” for Huddersfield.
The inspector’s other conclusions include:
Town centre businesses competing with Tesco would lose just 1.9% of their trade if the development goes ahead
Sainsbury’s at Shorehead would suffer a drop in takings of 12%, Asda on Bradford Road would lose 7% and Morrisons at Waterloo would suffer a 10% fall. However, none of these supermarkets would be likely to have to close as a result
The development would create 260 full-time and part-time jobs and “enhance competition and consumer choice”
But the Southgate plan would also lead to the loss of “some unquantified employment” at competing stores
The new Tesco would allow for the demolition of “a disjointed mix of unattractive buildings” at Southgate
Tesco’s offer of three hours of free parking at its new supermarket would encourage shoppers to visit other town centre stores as well
The new development would “not be likely to cause unacceptable highway congestion”.
Clr Andrew Cooper, who also campaigned against the new supermarket, predicted the decision would harm the town centre.
The Kirklees Green Party leader said: “I’m very disappointed; this is a bad decision for Huddersfield.
“Local businesses will suffer and money will go out of the town rather than coming in.”
The Newsome councillor added: “There are fundamental questions here.
“Do we value Huddersfield town centre?
“Are we going to have a ring road full of supermarkets with a dead heart of Huddersfield?”
Tesco spokeswoman Deborah Hayeems, welcomed the Planning Inspectorate’s decision.
She said: “We have worked closely with Kirklees and the local community to develop a scheme that was supported by the majority of residents in Huddersfield.
“We have a busy store in town but we know we can really improve the offer for customers. “We are delighted that the inspector has supported the decision taken by the council to approve the proposals, which will bring improved supermarket shopping and 300 new jobs to Huddersfield.”
TOWN centre businesses competing with Tesco will lose 1.9% of their trade when the development goes ahead
Sainsbury’s at Shorehead will suffer a drop in takings of 12%, Asda on Bradford Road will lose 7% and Morrisons at Waterloo will suffer a 10% fall. None will close as a result
The development will create 260 full-time and part-time jobs
But “some unquantified employment” would be lost at competing stores
New Tesco will mean the demolition of “a disjointed mix of unattractive buildings” at Southgate
Tesco’s offer of three hours of free parking at its new supermarket will encourage shoppers to visit other town centre stores as well
The new development was “not likely to cause unacceptable highway congestion”.
Tesco Timetable:
YESTERDAY’S green light for Tesco will lead to huge changes in the town centre in the next five years:
2012 : Work to start on the new £35m sports centre at Spring Grove car park in Springwood
2014 : New sports centre to open
2016 : Earliest date at which Tesco could complete the redevelopment of Viaduct Street, which would include a hotel, offices, shops, apartments and a car park. The retail giant is yet to win planning permission for the proposal
2017 : Latest date at which the new Tesco at Southgate could open. The supermarket will have 4,585sq m of food space, 2,275sq m of non-food space, a six-aisle petrol station and 746 parking spaces.
