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News Archive > May 2010 - March 2013
Presentations made at the DCC meeting
Councillor McLean said of the three presentations made in objection to the planning application for Cofferidge Close: “They were the best presentations I think I have heard in my two years of being on the Development Control Committee”. This is praise indeed!
Rob Gifford, Phil Wharton, and Graham Benjamin have kindly made the texts of their presentations available for us to put on the website, and you can download them as pdf files below: >> Objection by Rob Gifford, Chair of Stony Town Council >> Objection by Phil Wharton, Stony Ward Councillor >> Objection by Graham Benjamin, Save Cofferidge Close The other star of the evening was Debbie Kirk, MKC Case Officer, who has shown remarkable skill, patience, and commitment in handling this application and preparing the report recommending rejection. You can download a summary of the reasons she cites for objection, below: >> Case Officer, reasons for rejection summary We do not have copies of the two presentations made by the applicant's agents, sorry ... March 14th: Victory - DCC votes NO!
The meeting of the DCC was packed tonight. The members voted unanimously to reject the application for re-development of Cofferidge Close, on the grounds presented by the MKC case Officer, Debbie Kirk (scale, heritage, loss of the Dental Practice). Excellent presentations were made objecting to the proposal, by Rob Gifford (Chair of Stony Town Council), Phil Wharton (Stony Ward Councillor) , and Graham Benjamin (from the 'Save Cofferidge Close' group). The applicant's representatives made two rather weak presentations, which failed to convince the DCC...
So, good sense has prevailed, and this battle is won, but,as the DCC Chairman pointed out, if the developers appeal against the decision, the war is not yet over... March 8th: Stony Medical Centre for 'Plan B'
Click above to download letter
A letter from Dr Goyal, GP Principal of the Stony Medical Centre, appeared today on the MKC website expressing a very strong interest, on behalf of both practices in the current health centre, in leasing the vacant Cofferidge Close office block. He says it would be "... the perfect site for a health centre (and) allied services including pharmacy, physio, etc". The current Market Square building, he says, is now unfit for purpose, is too small, and would require major refurbishment.
This proposal demolishes the main argument given by the applicants for the demolition of the office block, namely that they cannot find a suitable tenant for it. What could be more suitable for a long-term tenancy than a Medical Centre ? Furthermore, unlike a big supermarket, the move from the Market Square to the Close would have no net impact on traffic or parking problems in the town centre. March 7th: Traffic Accident in Stony
About 8.40 this morning, a black car pulling out of the drive of Calverton Lodge, through the line of parked cars, was in collision with a grey car driving along Horsefair Green from the London Road end towards Calverton Road. The force of the collision was such that the grey car was knocked right across the road, through the metal fence and onto the grass. The fronts of both cars sustained substantial damage. Fortunately, there were no injuries, but with so much traffic about and so many children on their way to school, it could easily have been much worse.
This accident must surely demonstrate:
It also shows the weakness of the applicant's argument that there is a nil traffic accident record. This is based only on accidents causing personal injury. This example shows how dangerous an accident can be without causing actual injury and hence escaping the accident record. March 4th: MKC recommends Rejection
Debbie Kirk, the MKC Case Officer for the application to demolish much of Cofferidge Close and build a big supermarket there, recommends in her report that the application be rejected by the Development Control Committee (DCC) on grounds of over-development, loss of amenity, harm to a heritage asset, and loss of the Dental Practice.
The DCC meets on Thursday March 14th (7.00 pm, MK Council Chamber) to to determine the application...come along to see what they decide. >> Click here for the full agenda for the DCC meeting, including the Case Officer's report on Cofferidge Close >> Feb 27th: Objection from 20th Century Society
Click above to download the C20 report
The Twentieth Century Society is the national amenity society concerned with the protection, appreciation, and study of post-1914 architecture, townscape and design. In the assessment it has submitted to MKC it concludes by saying that "...the Society believes that the applicant has completely misunderstood the architectural importance of Cofferidge Court and the impact that this development will have on a non-designated heritage asset and the setting of adjacent designated Heritage Assets. The proposed works that will cause more than substantial harm to the historic environment of Stony Stratford. The Society would therefore urge Milton Keynes Council to refuse this damaging application."
Feb 20th: Dentist & Budgens leases extended
We can now confirm that the leases for Budgens and the Stony Dental Practice have both been extended until at least the end of this year (Dec 31st, 2013).
This is really good news for both the staff involved, and the local community. It also strengthens our belief that the developers (CBRE Investors and their agent Barton Willmore) have not yet managed to get a supermarket operator signed up for the 'out of scale' foodstore they want to build in Cofferidge Close.
Clearly, this is a speculative development, in the hope that planning permission for a big supermarket will give added value to the site should the owners wish to sell it on or, eventually, find an interested supermarket operator... Feb 4th: Budgens lorry stuck in York Road
Click to enlarge
(photo: Ben Shaw )
This lorry trying to get to Budgens got stuck in York Road, damaging a car and a house. The driver blamed his satnav, which directed him down York Road rather than Church Street, This just goes to show that, regardless of the 'delivery management plans' that are claimed to avoid such problems, they are not proof against the wiles of satnavs and the initiatives of drivers unfamiliar with our town!
A big new supermarket in Cofferidge Close will require a fourfold increase in the number of daily deliveries currently made to Budgens.... Jan 25th Update: 551 against vs. 7 in favour!
Between Dec 11th - Jan 25th, 132 public representation comments on the amended application were posted on the MKC Public Access website (with more to come): of these, 130 are objections.
Since the application was first submitted (Jan 2011), this brings the total number of objections, as of Jan 25th, to 551, as opposed to only 7 in favour: 98.75% of respondents have submitted objections. Jan 10th: Stony Town Council says 'NO'
Over 150 people attended the special public meeting of Stony Town Council to consider the amended application, on Jan 10th. After hearing many contributions from the floor, the Town Council agreed, unanimously, to maintain its objection to the proposed development.
>>Click here to read more, including the letter of objection to MKC No more 'dodgies' - Watch out for HOOTs
Sad to say, the Dodgy Dossier series has come to an end (no doubt to the great relief of Barton Willmore, who have been visiting this page almost daily). This is not because we can find no more omissions, inconsistencies, and errors in the application documents - far from it - but we feel it's become rather cruel, like shooting fish in a barrel...
We've moved the Dodgy Dossier series to a new page >> Dodgies On Jan 28th, we started a new daily series - of HOOTs - quotes from the many letters of objection from local residents to be found on the MKC Public Access website. >> Click here for HOOTs Jan 1st: The last classic car rally in the Close?
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Hundreds of people flooded the Market Place (vintage cars) and Cofferidge Close (classic cars) today for the very popular New year's Day Vintage and Classic cars rally, organised so successfully by the Stony Stratford Business Association, with the proceeds going to Willen Hospice
Click to enlarge
If the current planning application is approved, where will the classic cars go next year if the developers get their way and parking is restricted to 2 hours, 7 days a week, to maximise the turnover of supermarket shoppers - and the supermarket's profits - even on Sundays?
What will happen to our lovely town - does no-one care? Dec 31st : Update on reactions
Many comments have been sent in to MKC on the revised application; so far, only 19 have appeared on the MKC website - the Xmas break has slowed things down (the latest one posted was dated Dec 18th).
Of the 19 comments, 18 are from members of the public, and 17 of these are strongly worded objections. Only 1 submission supports the revised application. Sadly, the the Senior Landscape Architect at MKC, whose opinion (posted on the MKC website) was solicited by Debbie Kirk, has no objection to the axing of 46 mature trees and the reduction of the green / orchard / lawn area by 75% !! One would have thought part of his job description would be to protect an attractive, historic, landscaped space such as Cofferidge Close from the depredations of profit-motivated developers. Dream on.... There's still plenty of time to get your comments in to Debbie Kirk, at least until the Stony Town Council meeting on Jan 10th, if not later. Happy New Year to you all - and let's hope that 2013 sees the definitive rescue of Cofferidge Close....and our High Street. Dec 17th: Commenting on the revised plans
Debbie Kirk, the MKC Planning Officer handling the Cofferidge Close development, is now away on leave until January 2nd, which is the official deadline for receipt of comments.
If you want to comment on the revised application, please email your comments to her at [email protected] , but copy your comments to :[email protected] , and someone there will then post them on the Public Access website, amongst the other comments received for Application 11/00143/FUL (Amended) . Debbie Kirk will read your comments when she returns from leave, as inputs to her report to the Development Control Committee (DCC). Dec 11th: Revised plans submitted
Revised plans are now available on the MKC Public Access website. Changes from the previous version are minor (colonnades, a patch of lawn, bike racks...). No attention has been paid to the major objections over scale and economic viability made by Stony Town Council and hundreds of residents. We are still faced with a big 'shed' - reminiscent of a motorway services building - shoe-horned into the Close.
Apart from the traffic issues, the main points of local concern are : - all free long stay parking spaces in the Close to disappear, and parking restricted to 2 hours / no return from 07.00 to 18.00, 7 days a week (including Sundays) in 149 parking spaces, controlled by MKC, - 46 mature trees to be removed (5 less than before) - no proposals for alternative food shopping in Stony during the estimated 18 months of re-development, - no firm commitment for re-location of the Dental Practice, - no indication of who the future supermarket operator might be. To save you going to the MKC website, you can click here to download the Revised Planning Statement, which summarises the submission (but there are many more supporting documents on the MKC website). We have 21 days to send in written or emailed comments to MKC: Debbie Kirk ( [email protected] ), Senior Planning Officer, Milton Keynes Council, Civic Offices, 1 Saxon Gate East, Central Milton Keynes MK9 3EJ, quoting Application 11/00143/FUL, or you can upload them to the Public Access website. We are told that the revised application will likely be determined at the March meeting of the Development Control Committee (DCC). Nov 28th: NO to take-over of car parking
When the applicant's agents met the Traffic Engineers at MKC on November 28th, it was made clear to them, yet again, that the Council is "...maintaining its stance on the current status of Cofferidge Close car park". In other words, MKC is opposed to any suggestion that the public road and 'management' of all parking arrangements in the Close can be handed over to a supermarket operator. The applicants apparently also asked for information on ownership of other car parks in the Town. Why?
Barton Willmore have confirmed that they will submit their revised proposals for Cofferidge Close to MKC on December 5th - watch this spot for more news soon... November 15th : Further Delay
The applicant's agent, Barton Willmore, has asked for a further meeting with MKC traffic engineers to discuss proposals for 'management' of parking, despite having been told on several occasions that MKC and Stony Town Council will oppose any moves to take over and 'stop up' - i.e effectively privatise - the public highway in the Close. This would mean loss of all 69 free long-term parking spaces in the Close, and complete control of all parking, limited to 2 hours, 7/7, handed over to a future supermarket operator.
The meeting is scheduled for Nov 28th, and we are told that the applicant will submit revised plans in December. These will require a round of public consultation, which now means it is unlikely that the application will be determined before March next year. October 30th: Sad News - Wayland Tunley
We are saddened to report that Wayland Tunley, the architect of the Cofferidge Close scheme, and of many other outstanding projects in Milton Keynes, died on October 30th as the result of an accident. He was proud of Cofferidge Close, and was very pleased to have his work recognised when the Town Houses were awarded Grade II listed status. We hope, through our campaign, that we can honour his vision for the Close: his sense of balance in the mixed-use provision, and in the overall design of the buildings and landscaping. His funeral is on November 19th. (details will be in the Citizen newspaper).
October 13th: Revised plans to be submitted
The case officer at MKC tells us that the developers wish to make revisions to their plans to take into account the views of English Heritage and the MKC Conservation and Archeology Officer. Such revisions may require a further round of public consultation, which means that the Planning Application is now unlikely to be considered until January or February next year. Watch this space for news on what these proposed revisions will entail - we suspect they will be mainly 'cosmetic'....
Sept 12th : Proposed ramp through archway
Click on plan to read our comments
WSP, the developer's traffic consultants, have submitted to MKC a proposal to build a raised entrance ramp through the archway into Cofferidge Close. This proposal should be opposed, on grounds of road safety, potential damage, and disturbance to local residents.
Click here or on the plan for more details and our comments (pdf file) August 20th : Get our latest poster
Click above to download poster (pdf file)
English Heritage say that that "... the proposed redevelopment would undoubtedly substantially harm the significance of Cofferidge Close", as it involves demolition of a building making a positive contribution to a conservation area, The MKC Conservation and Archeology Officer says that.the current proposal would "...fail to sustain the significance of the non-designated heritage asset (Cofferidge Close), and the significance of the designated heritage asset (Stony Stratford Conservation Area)".
If you don't want to see Cofferidge Close spoilt by this Application, why not download and print out our poster to put in your window. NO to privatisation of public space for corporate profit !Click above to enlarge
Developers want to 'stop up' (= take over and control) the public highway from the entrance to the Close to the front and back of Budgens store. This road includes 69 free long-term parking spaces for local residents, employees, church-goers, tradesmen (plumbers, builders decorators ...) working nearby, and people attending popular events like Folk on the Green and the Classic Car Festival. If the developers get their way, these parking spaces will fall under the control of the proposed supermarket operator and will be subject to a 2 hour maximum limit, 7 days a week.
Click above to enlarge
Fortunately, we are led to understand that MKC policy is that the public highway in the Close, including the main parking areas, will remain just that and will not be handed over to a developer or supermarket operator, or otherwise privatised. This is good news, especially as support is growing in MKC to include a day nursery in the Close (whose staff will need all-day parking), as part of the 'Plan B' alternative proposed by the Town Council.
August 10th: HGV damage to Cofferidge Close archway
Click on image to enlarge
On the afternoon of August 10th, an HGV delivering goods to Budgens accidentally damaged the pillars in the archway entrance to the Close, causing traffic chaos. These pillars- part of the Grade II listed row of houses - contain electrical conduits and pipework. This is the latest in a series of incidents and heightens residents' concerns for the future of the structure if plans go ahead for a much bigger supermarket.
Click on image to enlarge
Planning Application 11/00143/FUL, awaiting decision by Milton Keynes Council, wants to treble the size of the supermarket. This will mean 8 such HGV deliveries a day (16 truck movements through the arch) instead of the current 2, with some needing to take place in peak hours. The current two deliveries are both off-peak.
Half-way down this page (click here) on our site is a fascinating slide show of pictures of HGV's and other vehicles negotiating the archway. August 2nd: Triple whammy delivered to MKC !
Members of the 'Save Cofferidge Close' group have prepared three expert and highly professional reports on Transport, Economic Sustainability, and Amenity, which analyse, critique, and raise objections to, major aspects of the current planning application for re-development of the Close. These reports, handed over to the MKC Case Officer, with the endorsement of the Chair of Stony Stratford Town Council (SSTC), are now on the MKC Public Access website.
You can download them here by clicking on the links below: >> Economic Sustainability Assessment (pdf, 5 MB) >> Loss of Amenity (pdf, 4.8 MB) >> Transport Assessment (pdf, 1.2 MB) >> Covering letter from Chair, SSTC The first two are quite big files, so allow a few seconds for download... PS If you're interested in local history, the report on Loss of Amenity includes a fascinating account of the evolution of the Close from medieval times to the present. English Heritage not happy about the proposals
Click on logo to read the memo from EH
An email memo from Richard Peats of English Heritage to Barton Willmore has been posted on the MKC public access website. In it, he says that "... the proposed redevelopment would undoubtedly substantially harm the significance of Cofferidge Close", given that it involves demolition of a building which "...makes a positive contribution to a conservation area".
>> Click here to read the full text of the email memo from EH. Is Cofferidge Close being deliberately neglected?
It would seem that the Close is being neglected pending a decision on the planning application. There are weeds and grass growing between the paving stones, and a broken window in the office block that has been left unrepaired for months (repaired, at last, mid-July, following complaints...)
Maintenance of Cofferidge Close is the responsibility of the Birmingham office of CBRE Investors.
If you're not happy about the increasinlgly neglected state of the Close, and wish to complain, here are the contact details: > tel: 0121 627 5555 > email: [email protected] 36 Budgens staff would lose their jobs at Xmas
If the Planning Application is approved, 36 full-time and part-time jobs at Budgens will go at the end of the year. CBRE Investors refuse to give reassurances about an extended lease after the December expiry date. A petition (please read this) to MKC objecting to the Application was signed by 373 local people last year.
Where will we buy our groceries in 2013 and 2014?
CBRE has made no commitment to provide alternative grocery shopping facilities during the 18 - 24 months 're-development' phase. Many existing Budgens customers will have to take a bus to Wolverton to do their food shopping, or survive on a diet of bread and meat (there is still a baker and two butchers in the High Street...)
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May 1st: Drilling in Cofferidge Close
Stony residents were astonished to see a drilling rig appear on the orchard lawn in Cofferidge Close this morning. When asked, the operatives said they were taking 20 m deep soil samples, under contract from Barton Wilmore, for the foundations for the new supermarket!
This only confirms our suspicions that Barton Wilmore, acting for the owners of the site, assume that MKC has already, informally, given them the go-ahead for their planning application. This, despite the fact that the Application is yet to appear before the Development Control Committee. We have asked MKC for an explanation as to whether it is lawful for work of this sort to be carried out on a green field site in a conservation area before any planning permission has been granted........ And here is the explanation from MKC : "...The works that were carried out were are classed as Permitted Development under Part 4 Class A, of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development )Order 1995 (As Amended) so the Council therefore has no control as to siting of any ancillary equipment. The Senior Planning Enforcement Officer did not see anything on site that caused any concern". This, despite the fact that a skip and building materials were dumped on the orchard lawn.
This only confirms our suspicions that Barton Wilmore, acting for the owners of the site, assume that MKC has already, informally, given them the go-ahead for their planning application. This, despite the fact that the Application is yet to appear before the Development Control Committee. We have asked MKC for an explanation as to whether it is lawful for work of this sort to be carried out on a green field site in a conservation area before any planning permission has been granted........ And here is the explanation from MKC : "...The works that were carried out were are classed as Permitted Development under Part 4 Class A, of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development )Order 1995 (As Amended) so the Council therefore has no control as to siting of any ancillary equipment. The Senior Planning Enforcement Officer did not see anything on site that caused any concern". This, despite the fact that a skip and building materials were dumped on the orchard lawn.
April 30: National Australia Bank and its UK investments
National Australia Bank (NAB) is the owner of Cofferidge Close. It has just axed 1,400 jobs at its UK subsidiaries, Yorkshire Bank and Clydesdale Bank. According to Unite, the announcement was made in the middle of the night , and meant UK staff "...woke up to hear their jobs are being cut through morning news reports" . Read the news report from the Guardian.
Cofferidge Close is part of the NAB's commercial property portfolio in the UK; NAB says they want to pull out of commercial property. given the dire state of the UK economy. We wonder what the implications are for those of us concerned about the future of Cofferidge Close? And why should Australian investors care, anyway, about what happens to the centre of a small market town across the other side of the globe?
Cofferidge Close is part of the NAB's commercial property portfolio in the UK; NAB says they want to pull out of commercial property. given the dire state of the UK economy. We wonder what the implications are for those of us concerned about the future of Cofferidge Close? And why should Australian investors care, anyway, about what happens to the centre of a small market town across the other side of the globe?
April 2012: A sorry sight: 4 down, how many more to go?
Following permission given by Milton Keynes Council (MKC), four mature trees behind the Baptist Church in Cofferidge Close have been felled, and five more severely pollarded. These were amongst the largest and most attractive trees in the Close, earmarked for preservation in the Planning Application for the proposed new supermarket. In addition, a group of smaller trees has been cleared without planning permission. This increases to 56 the number of mature trees to be destroyed for proposed future development in Cofferidge Close.
We have four questions for MKC, who gave approval for this work .... Click below, or on the photo of the stump, to read more
We have four questions for MKC, who gave approval for this work .... Click below, or on the photo of the stump, to read more
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Annual Town Meeting March 13th, 2012: update...
The Annual Town Meeting this year had Cofferidge Close as its main item. 56 people attended, and a lively discussion ensued. At the end of the meeting, the chairman, Robert Gifford, asked for a show of hands:
- those in favour of the current Planning Application : none
- those against : unanimous, with a few abstentions.
Click to read the draft minutes of the meeting on the Stony Stratford Town Council website.
- those in favour of the current Planning Application : none
- those against : unanimous, with a few abstentions.
Click to read the draft minutes of the meeting on the Stony Stratford Town Council website.
February 2012: WEA store size increased
Planning permission has been granted to extend the retail floorspace of the proposed supermarket in the Western Expansion Area (WEA) a mile or two down the A5 from Stony,
from 7,500 sq.m gross to 9,000 sq.m gross. This makes the business case for the proposed new supermarket in Cofferidge Close even weaker - in fact, Barton Wilmore had, to no avail, objected to the application for increasing the size of the WEA store....
February 2012: Update on Listing of Cofferidge Close
English Heritage has now completed their initial assessment of the application for Listing for Cofferidge Close. A technical report has been sent to the owners of Cofferidge Close and to MK Council for a consultation period during which time owners can make representations. English Heritage will then send their recommendation to the Secretary of State for a decision on Listing. Click below for more information...
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January 2012 - a Day Nursery for Cofferidge Close?
Click image for RSDN Facebook page
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Russell Street Day Nursery Parents Association (RSDNPA) is keen to include a nursery in a 'Plan B' proposal for re-use of the office block in Cofferidge Close. The original nursery, in Russell Street, was closed in December 2010 because of the dilapidation of the premises; since then, the RSDNPA have been campaigning to reopen a nursery in Stony Stratford - a pressing need for our community.
£50,000 is available from local S106 funding to invest in suitable premises, and Acorn Childcare, a local provider of outstanding nursery services, has been identified to run such a nursery. The Parents’ Association has the support of Cllr Phil Wharton and Stony Stratford Town Council to reopen the nursery and after reviewing all the options, we believe that Cofferidge Close with all its advantages (central, quiet, safe, green space, parking , close to shops...) would be the ideal location. A formal submission to this effect is being put to Milton Keynes Council.
Russell Street Day Nursery Parents Association (RSDNPA) is keen to include a nursery in a 'Plan B' proposal for re-use of the office block in Cofferidge Close. The original nursery, in Russell Street, was closed in December 2010 because of the dilapidation of the premises; since then, the RSDNPA have been campaigning to reopen a nursery in Stony Stratford - a pressing need for our community.
£50,000 is available from local S106 funding to invest in suitable premises, and Acorn Childcare, a local provider of outstanding nursery services, has been identified to run such a nursery. The Parents’ Association has the support of Cllr Phil Wharton and Stony Stratford Town Council to reopen the nursery and after reviewing all the options, we believe that Cofferidge Close with all its advantages (central, quiet, safe, green space, parking , close to shops...) would be the ideal location. A formal submission to this effect is being put to Milton Keynes Council.
October 2011 - English Heritage
As part of the procedure for considering Cofferidge Close for Listing, a formal site visit was made by two representatives from English Heritage (EH) on October 26th; the application cannot be formally considered by MKC until the definitive assessment is received. An initial opinion, in June, judges that ".....the proposal is considered to harm the significance of the Conservation Area".
August 2011 - Proposal to restrict car parking limits
A letter from the developer's traffic consultants WSP to MKC on August 16th gives notice that "... a specific future operator for the proposed food store" would like the parking restrictions in the Close to be reduced from the proposed 3 hours maximum, to 2 hours, Saturdays and Sundays included. It proposes that people who want longer stay parking could use the Ostlers Lane car park (which is small, nearly half a mile away, belongs to the Ancell Trust, and is often heavily used by visitors to the Sports Grounds ! ). MKC may consider that such a major modification requires re-submission of the entire Planning Application.
June 2011 - Consideration of the Application deferred
Originally, it was expected that the Development Control Committee would consider the Planning Application at one of its two June meetings. However, this has now been deferred to a later date, pending the outcome of discussions over listing, and a number of unresolved issues concerning the need for a prior application for demolition, as well as traffic and parking implications of the proposals.
April 2011 - Stony shops 'survey'
On April 13th and 14th, representatives of 38 retail businesses in the centre of Stony were asked whether they thought a larger supermarket in the Close would lead to increased 'footfall' and sales in the High Street. The results, in brief:
- only 4 were convinced that a larger supermarket would attract more customers to High Street shops
- 3 believed it would put them out of business
- 4 emphatically opposed the proposed re-development
- 19 felt there was no need for a larger supermarket, and were concerned about disruption, parking and traffic issues
- 5 said it would depend on the brand of the supermarket (Waitrose, M&S, Sainsbury: good / Tesco: bad)
- 3 had no opinion.
- only 4 were convinced that a larger supermarket would attract more customers to High Street shops
- 3 believed it would put them out of business
- 4 emphatically opposed the proposed re-development
- 19 felt there was no need for a larger supermarket, and were concerned about disruption, parking and traffic issues
- 5 said it would depend on the brand of the supermarket (Waitrose, M&S, Sainsbury: good / Tesco: bad)
- 3 had no opinion.
April 2011 - Save the trees
Click to enlarge
On April 9th, posters were attached to the 51 trees proposed to be axed in Cofferidge Close, as part of a public awareness-raising campaign. Mysteriously, they were all removed at dawn three days later by an angry-looking man with a white builder's van from Great Horwood.... Posters were also put up (and stayed up) in shop and house windows and community notice boards in the town centre. A FaceBook page was created to support the campaign...
March 2011 - Stony Stratford Town Council public meeting
A public meeting was held on March 8th to discuss the planning application.Over 80 people turned up for it - as a result, it was necessary to move the venue into the church. Representatives of the applicant's agent, Barton Willmore, made a brief presentation of some minor changes made to the proposal since the public exhibition in May 2010. Local community members made many objective comments, and raised areas of concern. As a result, and following a recommendation from its Planning Committee, the Town Council in its report to MKC unanimously agreed to object to the proposal, The Town Council accepted that the current retail food offering is inadequate, but felt that there are alternative, less disruptive, solutions to that proposed in the application.
February 2011 - Petition from over 300 Budgens staff and customers
On February 24th, a petition was submitted to the MK Council with 373 signatures from Budgens staff and customers, objecting to the proposals in the Planning Application, on the grounds that many Budgens customers cannot afford to pay for taxis to go out of town to shop, they find large supermarkets daunting, and will have nowhere in the town to shop for food for at least 18 months duirng the demolition and re-building.
January 2011 - Planning Application formally submitted
The application was formally submitted by Barton Willmore to MK Council on January 28th; various relatively minor amendments and changes have been made since the initial application (for example, the reduction of the number of mature trees to be uprooted from 51 to 47...). The planning application (No 11/00143/FUL) and associated documents can be consulted on the MK Council Public Access website.
May 2010 - Public exhibition of proposals
On May 21st and 22nd, a public exhibition of the re-development proposals was organised in Stony Stratford by Barton Willmore, agents for the owners of the Cofferidge Close site. The display boards with plans and artist's impressions can be seen here.
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This site has been created and is administered by a group of independent residents of Stony Stratford
This site has been created and is administered by a group of independent residents of Stony Stratford