Residents tell Co-op: build replacement store or get out (From Bournemouth Echo)

Residents tell Co-op: build replacement store or get out

5:00pm Friday 18th January 2013 in News By Diana Henderson

A YEAR-LONG extension to a temporary store in Poole has been approved while frustrated residents still await a larger replacement for the supermarket burnt to the ground five years ago.

The Co-op’s small cabin in Blandford Road, Hamworthy will remain while they continue to negotiate with Borough of Poole over plans for a new store.

For the second time Hamside Residents Association called for a limit of a six-month extension with a condition that if building work had not started they advertise the site for sale or lease and let another chain develop the site.

“For over five years the lack of an adequate shopping facility in central Hamworthy continues to cause considerable inconvenience and frustration for residents,” said Fred Winwood, residents association chairman.

“Not least when frequent air conditioning failure in the summer time causes the chilled counters to be closed and perishable goods to be removed from the shelves,” he told the borough’s planning committee.

The Co-op put forward a reason for the delay as the need to re-negotiate due to a possible new supermarket on the former power station site. But this is currently against the council’s core strategy and if policies did change, a supermarket on the electricity switching station would still be five or 10 years away, he said.

“Many are of the opinion that temporary should mean temporary and that the Co-op – if it really does have a commitment to Hamworthy – should have built the replacement store by now,” he said.

He added: “Enough is enough. We have no wish to be back debating this again in 2014.”

The store burnt down in a mystery blaze in late summer 2007 and planning permission has been granted in 2008 for a new store, renewed last February and a new application approved in April.

A spokesman for Co-operative Food has re-iterated a commitment to serving the local community and said they are in talks with the council about possible revisions.

“We have applied for an extension to the permission for our temporary food store in order to be able to continue offering local people quality products and a high standard of customer service.”