looks like the campaign is going really well then? all of 60 people turned up! wow!

it will be for the campaigners, a huge slap in the face with a wet fish. looks like the minority will not have the support they expected from the people in Andover. bring on the mega-shed

How strange! Goodman say they have never made a secret of the size of the MEGAshed and yet their latest brochure and their ad in last week's paper reduced the MEGAshed to a blip on the far landscape, fronting their artist's impression of their Plan with the Office Block part of Phase II which may never get built. The illustration was purposely intended to disguise the size of the MEGAshed, particularly as the perspective was from the air. The aim? To mislead. Most Andover residents live with their feet on the ground, not hovering mid-air Hogwart's style. Many Andover residents have told us they can't get their heads around a building that is 38 HGVs long, 45 wide and as high as 4 HGVs, or twice the height of the Andover Guildhall as we were able to point out last night. Perhaps Goodman should look to their own ridiculous behaviour before dismissing the legitimate concerns of local residents about the cumulative negative impact of this monstrous size MEGAshed!

This wasnt a protest - it was an educational exercise to demonstrate the true size, scale and impact this shed is likely to have.

Perhaps if Goodman had actually held the widespread public consultation & provided detailed scale models - which they promised at the very beginning - this wouldnt have been necessary.

Goodman should look to their own 'ridiculous' behaviour rather than highlighting others. Sounds to me like they're getting worried, slinging mud about.

mark, it was a protest. full-stop. the stop! campaigners were protesting, i saw it with my own eyes, placards 'n all. an exercise? what a ridiculous statement!

also mark and rhonda, why are you so against this now? why werent you and you fellow whingers protesting when Tesco were originally wanting to locate on the Walworth industrial estate? your minds tend to have selective memory! not one person who is anti-megashed can answer me that question! it figures..

Mr Peachey the answer to your question is that Tesco never once applied for permission on Walworth. Why : because they don't want to own any site - at the Airfield Goodmans own the site and secondly the MEGAshed is too big for Walworth the same reason why its not on Solstice Park - ITS TOO BIG !

well, im sorry Mr.Briggs, but i do recall VERY clearly stop! suggesting to Tesco to re-locate their original plans TO the Walworth, am i correct?

2307 official letters of objection logged at TVBC , 795 from Central Andover.....only 12 in favour of the proposal... TVBC Councillors take heed.
***** Stop TESCO’s Over Sized Plan ******

^^^am i missing something here? so, 2307 object to the TVBC, 795 from central Andover, what about the rest of the 50000+ people in Andover and surrounding areas??? we're quite happy sitting back and watching you all squirm! 'oh no! theres going to be a change to a part of Andover, that cannot happen! i know what! lets start a campaign!'. it is seriously, laughable

I'm starting to panic now,i heard on the radio today one of the protesters bleating "it's going to destroy Andover".There's me thinking they where building a new warehouse with loads of new jobs available to the townspeople when all along they were planning to wipe the town off the map......Ma,run to the hills the creatures from the planet Tesco are on their way.

Mr Peachey you have answered your own question. Tesco or their representative never did apply to go to Walworth. If STOP suggested they did as you say then I suppose it would have forced Tesco to severely limit the size of their shed to fit the available space.

Lets stop the stop campaign !it really is getting quiet laughable.Any one can see its just a case of not in my back yard !!!2500 new homes are being built on land next to roman way do you see any protest ? no !Where do the stop campaignners think all the people living in these new homes are going to work? have they walked round the walworth and seen how many empty buildings there are ?! Tesco your very welcome new opportunities for everyone !!!

Mr.Briggs, i can tell youre a anti-megashed campaigner, as youre being fickle with my replies. no, i havent answered my own question, if i had, then why did you even answer it for me? surely thats repetitive? i honestly dont get any of you.
im going to tell you what was said at the time, no i cannot find the story or the archive, as i have limited time, no i havent made this up either, why would i?

right, Goodman or Tesco or Captain Kirk or whoever it was, had interest in a site in Andover, the stop! people took it upon themselves to suggest that this monstrous building should go onto the Walworth rather than the airfield, as it is now. so, my question was, why didnt they oppose it as they are doing so now? it was no smaller when they first had interest here! do you understand that or are you going to be fickle with my answer again?

i find this is all getting so boring now, as youre all picking at little things and not looking at the positive outcome of this complex, which the positives will heavily outway the negatives. you all carry on campaigning, because youre all beginning to make a mockery of yourselves! Andover DOESNT oppose this

If Tesco build this it is a guaranteed success with instant employment and spin offs to many local businesses. If it is developed as a Business Park then no one will take them on and the site will either remain undeveloped or built, left empty with tumbleweed blowing through the car parks. We do not need a Business Park, we do need the investment and employment that Tesco propose to bring. I personally cannot wait to see Andover's own iconic building.

i go to Reading quite a bit, i have done for years. i remember when John Madejski bought a huge chunk of land and wanted to develope it to give something back to the people of Reading. he got the Madeski stadium, training facilities and business and retail park built. then Green park was built, over 180 acres of land for this alone, it is one of the biggest business parks ive seen and its beautiful to drive through, no, it isnt a huge mega-shed, but the people in the area opposed it. now? its thriving, theres 7000+ people employed at Green park, ALONE, that doesnt include the retail park there or the stadium itself etc, its a massive benefit to Reading and surrounding areas. this mega-shed is going to be such a huge benefit to Andover, i take my hat off for allowing this to happen

STOP campaigners arent NIMBYs - and anyway just what does that mean? That you're prepared to stand & fight for the best for your local area? Too darn right!

When the Business Park was originally proposed for the Airfield 3,000 jobs were envisaged (this paper, 22 Sept '95). We're now down to 2,000 & thats a 'developers promise' - ie, probably as much reality as the Tooth Fairy.

We absolutely need new jobs in Andover & we absolutely need development on the Airfield site. STOP have been very clear about that.

But what we face is a development which will see c.85% of the available space dedicated to B8 (warehousing & distribution) and only 15% - if they ever get built - to the kind of units that may be attractive to modern businesses.

The number of jobs available from the main B8 unit is pitifully low compared to the amount of space it takes up.

& if you know anything about the nature of these DC operations you'll know they are highly automated, & likely to be increasingly so. Tesco's developers near Hull promised 1,000 jobs for their Goole DC (zact same as we're getting here, but without the green wavy roof..). Last time I looked it had only delivered 450.

So those who are getting excited at the prospect of 'all these jobs' could find themselves bitterly disappointed.

& facing a reality where, in a few short years, Andover is swamped by HGV traffic - the Weyhill end of town avoided by local citizens, and the 303 log jammed.

Travel along the 303 now & watch what happens when either 1 HGV overtakes another, or they climb inclines under load. Speeds drop & tailbacks begin. Whether it's 1600 or some larger number is to some extent irrelevant. The addition of even a few more HGVs on these roads on a daily basis (24/7/364) will have a massive negative impact.

We know Goodman develop high quality business parks - beautifully landscaped etc - so bring one to Andover, & STOP this oversized, space eating, job miser of a Shed.

I pity all the people that have been duped into thinking that TESCO will be an everlasting employer for Andover. TESCOs change their distribution model every 5-10 years. Proof Point-TESCO Fennylock Distribution Centre, CLOSES laying off all 400 people in July 2008 , 8 years after opening as a flagship DC..

never mind eh, oracle? you'll soon get over it. bring on the mega-shed

Fenny Lock was never a 'flagship DC'
STOP! need to do what they say and stop the bickering.
The objections have been noted, and the issues worked out, so much so that the planners have said there is no reason for it not to go ahead.

Sorry but this development is way too much. I know other arguments have already been discussed so I will not go over that again. However, all the 'subbies' i.e. those not from Andover are likely to be delivered in buses from Soton, Wiltshire and around and then dropped back home at the end of thier shift. Where is the benefit - these people (and there will be a LOT of these people) will not come into the town and spend money!

I have some questions that I would like the "pro" lobby to answer:

1) This new "Megashed" will apparently render a number of other Tesco distribution centres surplus to requirements. So isn't it possible that existing staff will simply relocate?

2) Bearing that in mind, what sort of jobs will be left for local people? If it's just the low skilled, low paid work that won't be good for the town.

3) How much consideration has been given to the impact on the road network? I am not convinced by the the reports from the various transport agencies because they have been very wrong before. Just look at the M25!

4) Why is Goodmans trying so hard to sell this development to local people? Surely if it were right it would sell itself!

5) Are Tesco about to change their business strategy for the sake of Andover? By that I mean will they upsticks and leave in 5 - 10 year time, as they have done, and are about to do elsewhere.

Andover needs investment. But it has to be diverse otherwise school leavers in the area will see Andover as only offering low income manual work and that is no incetive to stay, and no other organisation will be tempted to come to Andover if all they see is a town full of low income workers with no real chance of progression.

TVBC are right to push Andover for investment, but this looks more like a quick fix than a real answer.

I do just wonder if Andrew Peachy has some sort of link with Goodman or a financial stake in the development. Or perhaps he has some sort of problem with folks living in a peaceful area untroubled by juggernauts thundering down our roads in large volumes. I hope our representatives take the sensible approach and block this hideous development for good! Roll on the next election if they don't.

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To Peter 2 19sep You say a pity that the minority want such a development,who says it is a minority?the only way to know that is for every resident in Andover to have a vote.maybe a good idea

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It is alright for members of STOPto canvassfor support,and they are entitled to do their opinions,they probably have the time and moneyto do so. People who want the Tesco warehouse / Business Park and Hotel to come to Andover, may not have the time or moneyto campaign. STOP might say Tesco has the money, but it is probably doubtful they would be allowedto sponsor a campaign for the development. Stop would probably say it was big money trying to persuade opinions. as for STOP keep saying we need a mixed business park, perhaps Rhonda Smith and some of supporters, should walk round our two main Industrial Estates and see the amount of empty and boarded up premises there are. There is no long queues of companies wantingto rent them. In the last few years we have seenbusiness shut up and move ealswhere, at leastTesco have asked to come to Andover and bring a lot of jobs. plus it would probably improve trade in the town which it needs by encouraging other businesses and shops to come to Andover
People in Andover need work. Some say we have low unemployment, What happens when all the new houseing estate are built they will have people living on them,they will need jobs, anyway might it not be good if Andover hab NO unemployment.
As regards to lorries using the A303 we would still have have them going up and downthis road with out the road improvements which the Highways Agency and County Council have accepted, if as some suggest Tesco move to Amesbury.Who knows perhaps Tesco or Goodmans can negotitate with British Rail or the Army to use their railway lines to transport some good by rail as both have railway lines close to the proposed site.
We need various types of businessin Andover, not just offices, we need warehouse and manufacturing industries, or any business that will improve our town, and Tesco is one we should not refuse.When my grand children and the children and grand children of people who are opposed to this development,leave school and are looking for employmentI hope they find it in Andover so they can stay and live in Andover. The opportunitites and benefits Tesco could bring will I belive out way any disadvantages.I belive they have been addressed by revised planes that Goodmans submitted

lol i like the way that all the people in the protest are either of retirement age of kids dragged into it by their parents the people who this wont affect in terms of employment just the ones that have too much time on their hands. lol pathetic