Revealed – Asda’s town plan
THE Wetherby News can exclusively reveal this week the full extent of plans for a 24-hour Asda supermarket on the outskirts of Wetherby.
Last month the Wetherby News revealed how two of the UK’s biggest supermarkets – Tesco and Asda – had shown interest in building a superstore in or around the town.
The plans were in addition to Sainsbury’s plans to build a 35,000ft sq store on the site of the Mercure Hotel, formerly the Ramada Jarvis, revealed in the Wetherby News last year.
Wetherby ward councillor John Procter, who is a member of the Leeds City Council planning committee, has revealed that greenfield land opposite the Sandbeck Industrial Estate has now been earmarked as the site on which Asda is proposing to build a 24-hour supermarket and petrol station.
Meanwhile Tesco is believed to want to build a 40,000 ft sq site on land near to Sandbeck Industrial Estate at a different location to Asda.
Coun Procter, who was shown details of the Asda plans in a meeting with representatives recently, said the size of the Asda site would be similar to the proposals for Sainsbury’s and Tesco.
Commenting on the meeting he had with Asda representatives before Christmas, Coun Proctor said: “The meeting was very straightforward and Asda were very forthcoming with their plans.
“However, the feedback I have been getting from residents is that there is no need for another supermarket anywhere in Wetherby.”
The news about Asda’s plans comes after Wetherby residents were contacted by representatives of the supermarket giant in a telemarketing survey last week.
Resident Nick Johnson told the Wetherby News he had been contacted by a team at Asda.
He said: “On January 4 I received a telemarketing call asking for my opinion on supermarkets in the Wetherby area. During the survey, Sainsbury’s moving onto the Ramada Jarvis site on the outskirts of Wetherby was mentioned.
“I was asked what my thoughts on Asda moving onto land opposite Sandbeck Industrial Estate were.”
A planning application for Sainsbury’s was expected this week, but Coun Procter said the process of validating an application could take weeks.
At the time of going to press no planning application from the three supermarkets had been submitted.
The Wetherby News contacted Asda several times for a comment but it had not responded at the time of going to press.
l What do you think to the plans to build an Asda store in Wetherby? Email us at wetherby.news@ypn.co.uk with your views.
You can also write to us at Wetherby News, 9 Westgate, Wetherby, LS22 6LL.
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Comments
There are 8 comments to this article
Page 1 of 1
oldcoders
Friday, February 17, 2012 at 10:30 AMNews blogs like this are certainly useful for expressing your thoughts, but when it comes to having your voice heard, the only only effective way to lodge an objection to Sainsbury's plans is by writing straight to the Leeds City Council planners at planning@leeds.gov.uk and use ref 1200113FU. The deadline for lodging objections is today - 17th Feb!! They have already had 142 objections. Interestingly though, there have been more than 56 letters of support for a supermarket in the town - but not in this location. The unused land behind Sandbeck Industrial estate where ASDA are rumoured to be looking would be a much better bet as it would both increase the town's retail catchment and provide competition for Morrisons. At the monent this site is an eyesore and is just a target for fly tipping. So what's best for the Ramada hotel site? I would like to see a design competition for alternative uses. How about a landscaped community park or playground - or just a well-designed residential scheme to compliment the town?
dum352
Friday, January 27, 2012 at 11:31 AMBring them on I would welcome all three supermarkets to Wetherby it`s about time the local traders & Morrisons had some competion. Morrisons is rubbish the staff are rude & untrained, the parking is inadequate and as for the cafe it should be shut down as the food is rubbish and again run by staff who do`nt seem to care about customer service. The quicker these supermarkets are up and running the better it will be for all Wetherby residents.
rowans
Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at 10:19 AMOur family, and a number of residents in wetherby would welcome ASDA to our town. We have stopped shopping at Morrisons, they are expensive and recently we forgot to take our shopping bag, when we visited the store , and we were using three disposable bags and the assistant started to argue and tell us we were using too many bags. we are certainly not going to be talked to like that, hence non of our family now shop at Morrisons. Asda cannot come quick enough to wetherby. Come on ASDA apply for planning permission ASAP.
Mags19
Monday, January 23, 2012 at 04:35 PMI would welcome Sainsbury's in Wetherby as it would save the regular trek into Harrogate. I prefer Sainsbury's to Morrisons as there is a more interesting choice. For instance, I have to follow a gluten free diet and there is a huge range of suitable products for me in Sainsbury's whereas Morrisons selection is very limited and they frequently run out of gluten free bread. I think we should have a choice of supermarkets in a large market town. Perhaps Morrisons and some of the whingeing local traders will try harder with good new competition in the town.
Councillors receive at least GBP 14781 often plus other payments
Friday, January 20, 2012 at 02:36 PMMorrisons is badly run, the fruit and veg lasts a day, and their own brand produce is dire. Anything, but Morrisons please. Waitrose would clean up in Wetherby. Let the free market decide, not planners.
willo73
Friday, January 20, 2012 at 12:55 PMNo harveyh you aren't the only one. I hate Morrisons, the parking chaos it can cause on a busy day is terrible going right back up to Deighton Road and some of the staff are absolutely clueless. And don't get me on the already narrow aisles full of shoppers only with a completely useless "bargain basket" stuck in the middle so nobody can get round freely. I would love a decent supermarket in Wetherby and am looking forward to hopefully a Sainsburys and an Asda would be great too. For a market town the size of Wetherby its a bit silly to want us all to shop in the one supermarket. It will cut down on a lot of mileage for people going to Harrogate or such likes and it will be great for the communities in the surrounding villages to be able to travel a few miles to Wetherby. I agree - I think it could do trade in Wetherby good. I like to go to a grocers for my veg, I like to use a local bakery but I also like being able to go to a supermarket and do big shops all under one roof! Bring on some competition
BramhamResident
Wednesday, January 18, 2012 at 03:39 PMLet Asda, Tesco and Sainsbury all build their supermarkets. It would give people who don't live in the town itself the opportunity to shop in or near Wetherby, something that the present arrangements don't always permit. There are numerous occasions when Morrisons car park is full to overflowing, especially at school times, the lorry park is often a mudbath and M&S's car park is operated by predatory individuals who will fine you if you leave by the wrong door. People like me are left with the choice of travelling on to Tadcaster or Harrogate supermarkets on occasions so the town's small businesses end up being the losers too.
Mcboogaballs
Wednesday, January 18, 2012 at 10:20 AMam i the only person who would welcome an Asda in wetherby,a cheaper supermarket than Morrisons.I can understand local businessess being worried their trade would be ruined,but would it really??Think of all the other people it could bring into the town who may not have stopped off otherwise!!!
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