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Protesters fearful over future of A303
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| Packed: The meeting attracted hundreds of people concerned about the plan for a giant warehouse on Andover Airfield. |
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THE A303 will become the world's biggest car park' if the Tesco warehouse development goes ahead Andover residents were told at a public meeting.
Mike Cleugh, vice-chairman of Monxton Parish Council and member of the Stop.Mega.Sheds committee, spoke at the meeting held at John Hanson Community School in a bid to persuade more people to sign a petition against the development.
It was the final protest meeting before the deadline for objections on 27 August.
If planning permission is granted the 1,900ft long building, the height of three double-decker buses would be built on the site of the former Andover Airfield.
"If this development goes ahead it will become one of the biggest buildings in Europe at 860,000 square metres - that's the equivalent of 17 football pitches," he said.
"The fact that they want to build it next to an A road is silly, the A303 will become the world's biggest car park."
Mr Cleugh also criticised the type of jobs the Tesco warehouse and distribution centre would create.
"The sort of jobs in that warehouse may be very low paid and very low skilled.
"We want that site to be what it was originally designed to be - a business park bringing good quality jobs," he said.
He was trying to convince residents to join the campaign to stop the development by signing the petition before the deadline.
"Every little helps as Tesco say," he added.
Over 400 people had packed into the school hall to support Mr Cleugh and others objecting to the plan.
4:41pm Wednesday 29th August 2007
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CommentPosted by: sue Davies, andover on 10:05am Thu 30 Aug 07
96 per cent of andoverians DO NOT want this monstrosity according to Sir George Young. And they are right. It will NOT provide the variety of employment and careers promised by Test Valley when it proposed a business park on the airfield. The developers themselves admit that nearly all the jobs will be on the warehouse floor, ie low paid. low skilled and probably short term. Is this really the sort of work we want to offer our school leavers? It's hardly going to motivate them to get good qualifications.
The traffic congeston, noise and pollution from all the HGVs, we know will make life miserable, and it will affect not just the A303 but all the surrounding roads. the megashed is also a giant eyesore. It will be the largest and ugliest building in the south of England - does it really belong on the edge of a market town in the beautiful (but not for much longer if this goes ahead) Test Valley?
Allowing this application flies in the face of public opinion, common sense and the tvbc's own policies as laid out in Andover Vision and the local plan. You can only assume if it goes ahead that someone was given a big backhander by the developers.
96 per cent of andoverians DO NOT want this monstrosity according to Sir George Young. And they are right. It will NOT provide the variety of employment and careers promised by Test Valley when it proposed a business park on the airfield. The developers themselves admit that nearly all the jobs will be on the warehouse floor, ie low paid. low skilled and probably short term. Is this really the sort of work we want to offer our school leavers? It's hardly going to motivate them to get good qualifications.
The traffic congeston, noise and pollution from all the HGVs, we know will make life miserable, and it will affect not just the A303 but all the surrounding roads. the megashed is also a giant eyesore. It will be the largest and ugliest building in the south of England - does it really belong on the edge of a market town in the beautiful (but not for much longer if this goes ahead) Test Valley?
Allowing this application flies in the face of public opinion, common sense and the tvbc's own policies as laid out in Andover Vision and the local plan. You can only assume if it goes ahead that someone was given a big backhander by the developers.
Posted by: anon, surrey on 9:15am Wed 12 Sep 07
As the unemployment level in and around Andover is very low Tesco`s will have to use agency workers to fill the job positions.The Borders and Immigration Agency have been called in to check Tesco`s sites.10 percent of the work force at THURROCK DEPOT were found to be illegal`s(nearly 120 people).This is just on one site.Somehow Tesco`s have kept this from the national press????.Is this what the people of Andover want to be happening on their back door step?.Your town will be flooded with illegal`s.Sooner or later the wage structure in your area will also be impacted as companies will pay lower wages to employ these people.Future generations will feel this impact.We must stop this now and say NO to this development of the Airfield by TESCO.
As the unemployment level in and around Andover is very low Tesco`s will have to use agency workers to fill the job positions.The Borders and Immigration Agency have been called in to check Tesco`s sites.10 percent of the work force at THURROCK DEPOT were found to be illegal`s(nearly 120 people).This is just on one site.Somehow Tesco`s have kept this from the national press????.Is this what the people of Andover want to be happening on their back door step?.Your town will be flooded with illegal`s.Sooner or later the wage structure in your area will also be impacted as companies will pay lower wages to employ these people.Future generations will feel this impact.We must stop this now and say NO to this development of the Airfield by TESCO.
Posted by: HARDWORKER, surrey on 7:13am Mon 29 Oct 07
TO BE HONEST I THINK ITS GREAT IDEA AND THE TRUTH IS U PPL IN ANDOVER DONT WANT IT FOR 1 REASON AND THAT IS YOU STATE YOUR UNEMPLOYEMENT IS ONLY 300. HMMMM IM AFRAID TO SAY THATS WHY U DONT WANT THIS TO GO AHEAD BECAUSE U WOULD HAVE TO GET OFF UR LAZY **** AND WORK SO TESCOS I HOPE U GET THIS SITE AND FILL WITH PPL WHO DO WANT TO WORK SO IF MEANS BRINGING IN POLISH WORKERS PLS DO AS THIS WILL KEEP U NUMBER 1 . TY FOR READING THIS
TO BE HONEST I THINK ITS GREAT IDEA AND THE TRUTH IS U PPL IN ANDOVER DONT WANT IT FOR 1 REASON AND THAT IS YOU STATE YOUR UNEMPLOYEMENT IS ONLY 300. HMMMM IM AFRAID TO SAY THATS WHY U DONT WANT THIS TO GO AHEAD BECAUSE U WOULD HAVE TO GET OFF UR LAZY **** AND WORK SO TESCOS I HOPE U GET THIS SITE AND FILL WITH PPL WHO DO WANT TO WORK SO IF MEANS BRINGING IN POLISH WORKERS PLS DO AS THIS WILL KEEP U NUMBER 1 . TY FOR READING THIS
Posted by: Jo B, Andover on 3:54pm Wed 9 Jan 08
I wrote to Goodmans in Oct'07 asking for proof of their statistics regarding A303 being an accident Black Spot, and I rec'd a reply stating, "being passed to development for comment". I am still waiting - today I have asked once again for the answer. Neither Tesco's nor Goodmans are bothered about Andover and the people - they see MEGABUCKS and that is all.
Question - what is the "actual" life of a construction such as a Megashed? Look at Walworth Industrial Estate, built in the 1960's and dying on it's feet. All the buildings look exhausted, so is all this angst for a building that will be defunct in 20 years? Where will the jobs be then? Ducal decided Portugal was cheaper, Contisteel sold out to the French and moved to Essex where the French owned the company. Don't try to pull the wool over our eyes Tesco's/Goodmans we know about companies like you. You will cut a run and ruin Andover for future generations.
p.s. HARDWORKER from Surrey, I have been employed in Andover and area since I moved here in 1971, so do not tell us we are lazy. You have a very blinkered view of us, do you work for Tesco's in Weybridge at present? Also - we have a command of the English language that does not necessitate resorting to mobile text similie!
I wrote to Goodmans in Oct'07 asking for proof of their statistics regarding A303 being an accident Black Spot, and I rec'd a reply stating, "being passed to development for comment". I am still waiting - today I have asked once again for the answer. Neither Tesco's nor Goodmans are bothered about Andover and the people - they see MEGABUCKS and that is all.
Question - what is the "actual" life of a construction such as a Megashed? Look at Walworth Industrial Estate, built in the 1960's and dying on it's feet. All the buildings look exhausted, so is all this angst for a building that will be defunct in 20 years? Where will the jobs be then? Ducal decided Portugal was cheaper, Contisteel sold out to the French and moved to Essex where the French owned the company. Don't try to pull the wool over our eyes Tesco's/Goodmans we know about companies like you. You will cut a run and ruin Andover for future generations.
p.s. HARDWORKER from Surrey, I have been employed in Andover and area since I moved here in 1971, so do not tell us we are lazy. You have a very blinkered view of us, do you work for Tesco's in Weybridge at present? Also - we have a command of the English language that does not necessitate resorting to mobile text similie!
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