Councillors last night voted to delay their decision on whether to allow a major new development in the Hale End and Highams Park ward.
The planning application by Tesco includes a supermarket, housing and car parking. With all three Liberal Democrat ward councillors in attendance at a packed Town Hall meeting, Cllr Jane Morgan (pictured left with Nick Bason) spoke on behalf of local residents, detailing the many letters and emails the local Lib Dem team had recieved on the issue and detailing resident concerns about the development.
Adressing the planning committee, Cllr Morgan said:
“We’ve had many communciations from those who do not neccesarily object to the idea of a Tesco, but who have expressed concerns about the scale of this particular application.
“Any scheme of this nature will produce costs as well as benefits. The proposal aims to create houses and jobs, and they are needed in our area. Investment in the Highams Park economy is also needed.
“But do these possible benefits outweight the costs of the current scheme? many of our residents our concerned that the current scale of the development means they do not.”
The planning application will now come back before councillors at a later date.
See the full text of Cllr Morgan’s speech to the committee below:
Money, Money, Money!!
Think of all that lovely council tax a big Tesco’s and a few hundred more houses would bring in.
Are the council really concerned about extra teachers and school places for new children? Are they concerned about the already jammed up and dangerous roads in the area? Are they thinking about the real loss of the running track, the pool and the diving pool to the residents? I doubt it. It is inconceivable that facilities at any new sports centre built on the old cinema site would match even closely those at the Pool & Track.
Find an unused area in Waltham Forest and sell that to Tesco’s and your favourite house building company!