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24

Jan 2022

Last Updated: 24/01/2022
Community
Community

Residents petition calls on council to reject Harrogate Tesco plans

by Connor Creaghan

| 24 Jan, 2022
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Electric Avenue residents cite pollution, road safety and environmental impact among their concerns in the petition. If approved by planners, the supermarket giant would build a 38,795 square feet store and a petrol filling station near the New Park roundabout.

tesco-site-2
The gates at the former gasworks site off Skipton Road.

Residents living close to the former gas works in New Park have started a petition calling on Harrogate Borough Council to reject Tesco's application to build a supermarket.

If given the go-ahead, Tesco would build a 38,795 square feet store and a petrol filling station on the site near the New Park roundabout.

Electric Avenue residents have cited various concerns, including pollution, road safety fears and environmental damage,

They say the disused site has become a home to wildlife since Northern Gas Networks moved out more than 20 years ago.

Two days since resident Nicki Balmforth set up the petition, more than 140 people have signed it. In the petition description she said:

"We believe that this new application should be rejected in full due to the time that has passed the abundance of wildlife now thriving on this land, and the certain destruction of their habitats.
"The site is home to and/or feeding ground to the following wildlife, roe deer, badgers, foxes, newts, frogs and toads, squirrels, hedgehogs, owls and more.
"We do not need another supermarket in this area, in a five-mile radius from this site there are 14 food stores including Aldi, Asda, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Co-op, and express shops. We do understand the need to support the new homes being built, but this is not the right location!"





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Electric Avenue residents are holding a meeting tomorrow night to discuss the plans.

Tesco has harboured ambitions for a new store in the town for almost 20 years. The retailer previously had plans approved in 2009.

The supermarket giant held an online consultation about the plans last year — 187 people responded. Of those, 62% said they supported proposals.