Supermarket giant Tesco has put up for sale land originally intended for a new supermarket in Beeston.
Tesco was locked in a lengthy and unsuccessful battle with Asda to build a new supermarket in the Old Lane area last year, with city planners opting for Asda’s plans to build a new larger store on its existing site rather than Tesco’s plans for an entirely new store on an adjacent site.
Tesco spokesperson Mark Thomas today told South Leeds Life that a ‘for sale’ sign would be put up on the disused site shortly. He added:
“We’ll be putting the Old Lane site up for sale so that it can be brought back into use. Where we no longer develop sites for stores we sell them, lease them or develop them for housing.
“We’ll be sure to update the community on the sale of the site.”
ASDA update
As reported in May, Asda has applied to Leeds City Council to make changes to its outline planning permission for its new, extended Old Lane store.
They want to extend the store’s opening hours to 24-hour opening Monday to Saturday and 10am-10pm on Sundays and Bank Holidays. The current permission is for 8am-11pm Monday to Saturday and 10am-10pm on Sundays and Bank Holidays. Asda also wants to extend the hours for deliveries, increase the floor area given over to ‘comparison’ goods such as clothes and electrical and wants changes to the site access during construction to allow the old store to remain open longer.
Asda was set strict timescales by the South & West Plans Panel in June last year. They were to sign off a Section 106 agreement and other reserved issues within six months and complete construction within a further 12-month period.
The revised planning application is still to be determined by Leeds City Council. The proposals have received some local objections, including Beeston Forum.Beeston councillors Adam Ogilvie and David Congreve have also objected to the revised openingand delivery hours due to ‘noise impact’ on local residents.
South Leeds Life approached Asda on Wednesday for an update on the situation. We’ve yet to receive a reply.
Full details of the revised applications can be found on the Council’s website www.leeds.gov.uk/council/Pages/Public-Access.aspx, click on ‘Public Access” and search for application number 14/02461. A further application for detailed planning permission can be found under 14/02462.
What do you think? Have your say in the comments section below.
