(Republished from the main VL site and this week’s newsletter): The Tender Brief for the sale of the land at Lawson’s Field in Scotforth was considered by the Council’s Overview & Scrutiny Committee on Thursday 17 January. After consultation with local residents, Lib Dem Scotforth East councillor Janie Kirkman registered her opposition to the sale, which was also opposed by Scotforth West Green Councillors Jane Fletcher and Emily Heath.
The meeting recommended that the woodland conservation area at the north of the land be retained and protected – despite charmless sneers from Scotforth West Labour councillor Sheila Denwood that it was nothing more than a rubbish tip where dog walkers left poo.
The item will go to the City Council Cabinet for a decision on 22 January (10am, Morecambe Town Hall). The agenda and reports (including the draft brief) for the O&S Committee can be viewed at here.
The agenda and reports for the Cabinet meeting can be viewed at here.
The original proposal to put this land out to tender as a potential site for a supermarket was originally kept secret until news was leaked by Scotforth’s Green councillors. Local residents objected strongly over the secrecy and lack of consultation regarding such a major development.
Speculation that Tescos might be involved behind the scenes was started by a reference in a Council document, although given the Highways Authority recent stipulations that traffic on the A6 at Scotforth cannot sustain any increase, it would appear that the contender with the fewest obstacles to planning permission would be Booths. (Booths is currently building a new, bigger store in Garstang at a cost of some £6 million, the development only marginally delayed by the discovery of asbestos at the former CCM factory during demolition to make way for its new store last November).
Booths is a firm supporter of Garstang’s Fair Trade status and is openly committed to sourcing local produce. Responses from locals to a 2006 consultation on the Garstang development conducted by Wyre Borough Council (PDF) were largely positive, alrthough elsewhere there are concerns at the impact the larger stroe will have on independent traders in the town.
It’s Our City (www.itsourcity.org.uk) is backing a vigorous local campaign opposing development on what is currently a very pleasant and vibrant green area serving a wide city suburb. They seek your support and advise residents to come to the meetings, if only just to see how councillors actually make these decisions (it’s an eye-opener!).