TESCO TRY AGAIN IN MEADS

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 24th Sep 2008

After the surprise reversal last July when Tesco Stores put forward an amendment planning application only to rejected by the Borough Council Planning Committee, the retail giant has come back for a second attempt.

Stephen Lloyd - who has been leading the fight against Tesco opening a store in Meads High Street said: "I was elated when the Planning Committee turned down the Tesco application recently as the principle was already a done deal, having been signed off under the previous administration in April 2006. It was only when a couple of the cllrs on the Planning Committee focused on the noise of the 24hr air-conditioner units that the opportunity arose for them to reject. Though this was against the advice of the officers because of the original planning approval granted two and a half years ago, it was firmly in line with the views of the many hundreds of people who have signed my petition opposing the very idea of a Tesco Store in Meads Street."

He added: "So it was a real disappointment to see that Tesco remain determined to press ahead with their Store and totally ignore the wishes of the majority of local people. The deadline to write to the Borough Council opposing Tesco's reapplying for their air-conditioner planning application is the 5th October. Letters of objection need to be sent to the Development Control Manager at 1 Grove Road, Eastbourne BN21 4TW quoting reference EB/2008/0604 (FP). I would urge as many Meads residents as possible write to the Town Hall."