Felixstowe C of C - Tesco Plans for Walton Green - response as of 5th November 2011

Dear Miss Sabine

Re: Proposals for Development at Walton Green

I apologise for the delay in responding to your letter of the 21st October. Thank you for taking the opportunity to provide more information, as had been requested.

To clarify, we are happy to meet with you as a committee but must advise that we are only an executive committee and we would like to arrange, if at all possible, the opportunity for you to meet with local traders, whether committee members or otherwise, at a Chamber arranged event, to allow you to discuss your clients' proposals directly with local town traders and to hear their responses.

You are aware that our concern with regard to your clients' proposals relate mainly to the dominance of a Tescos store on the site.

You make reference to the Local Strategy for Felixstowe prepared by David Lock Associates in April 2006. The report specifically suggests, under propositions 3 and 4, for the development of an enterprise park. The dominance of Tescos does not equate to an enterprise park and certainly fails to take account of the specific points raised within the report, in particular "the provision of additional food retail floor space must be handled carefully, to avoid harming the viability of existing businesses across the town centre which do much to generate the town's unique character".

It should also be noted that the proposal within that report for an additional supermarket was to locate in south Felixstowe, with development potential at the Ordnance roundabout. We have advised that a Lidl has since been built in that location in accordance with the proposals. The proposal for a new supermarket was to cater for the increased population as a result of housing development. There has been very little development since the report and therefore little if any increase in population, despite an additional supermarket.

The report continued to consider the capacity for 600 to 900 jobs at the proposed enterprise park. It did not seek to incorporate any supermarket provision within an enterprise park. The matters were dealt with separately and there was no suggestion that significant additional jobs would be created by an additional supermarket.

Our next committee meeting is at 6.30 on Monday 21st November. We would be happy for you to attend to add any further information you have not already advised in correspondence, though this may not be the most appropriate date to meet in light of the volume of business to be discussed. We are aware of your intention to consult within the town towards the end of the month and it may be more suitable to meet with several of our committee at that point.

Would you also please advise if you are willing to meet with town traders as proposed?

Yours sincerely

Andrew Rowdon

Chairman