On the face of it the idea that we revitalise Tolworth appears to be a good idea. However there are some real questions that need to be asked about the sheer scale of this proposal. I have posted the various elements with a summary of what is said.
I see that our local MP has called for a debate and yet does not give his view, despite us knowing he has been involved with meetings with the developer before this scheme came forward.
So what are the issues?
Do we really want nearly 900 units of accommodation and 2,000 extra people living in Tolworth? I am not sure I know the answer to this but this would in effect be the equivalent of a 30% increase in residents for the Tolworth and Hook ward, in which much of this would sit.
Should we be cynical about the fact that Tesco are spending almost the entire publicity document talking about their green bridge idea and not talking about the impact on traffic of their superstore?
Do we really want environmental improvements like those at New Malden High Street?
I have real concerns about this proposal. It seems heavy on selling points without confronting the real problems they are raising about the capacity of Tolworth and the A3 to cope with the traffic demands that will exist from such a development. I am also sceptical about the "Community facilities" they wish to provide. What are these? In recent experience these have often ended up costing the council money.
Do we want Tolworth Broadway to be turned into single lane traffic and the barrier to be taken down? I am all for taking the barrier down but they are also threatening a scheme like New Malden High Street presumable with no bus pull ins and lots of cannonballs for bollards.
14 comments:
How do we meer mortals get to see this report? Is it on the internet anywhere?
Gosh,someone with some vision at Tesco or at least its design office.
At last a scheme to revitalise a scruffy bit of the A3 and allow The Broadway to thrive.
The more people the better as long as the flats/condos are not restricted to "affordable" units,we need 1/2/3/4 bed units in various designs and budgets to get a good mix.
Of course traffic must be allowed to flow freely and massive under or overpasses coupled with huge underground car parks will be needed.
How about sinking the Broadway carriage way in a cutting righy under the A3 and expanding the green bridge idea further up the Ewell Road towards Kingston.
We need men of vision along the lines of Brunel/Brindley to seize this project and carry it forward to astonish the rest of the UK with its brilliance and innovation.
Bringing in new high tech firms and jobs for thousands,putting Tolworth Surbiton on a par with Canary Wharf,especially if the old Surb Hospital gets a massive make over.
Rock on you councillors and MPs and get it sorted and built,
I am afraid that I too am a mere mortal and was sent the images by a resident. I will try and find where we can get copies of the brochure.
I am not sure about Mojoman's vision of sinking the Broadway. Tesco are proposing to fill in the underpasses and make surface crossing. Just not in their interest to do more than the minimum, I guess.
I believe that 40% of the housing will be affordable as that is what the Lib Dems have in the Unitary Development Plan as their minimum.
My view is that their logo looks almost identical to the Tory Party's
Have we all got short memories? Only last year details emerged of an extraordinary litany of failures at the New Malden/ Raynes Park TESCO. The company was fined:
• £5,000 for selling a mouldy apple turnover seven days past its sell-by date.
• £2,000 for selling Gouda cheese past its sell-by date.
• £4,000 for selling mouldy Thai rice.
• £2,000 each for failing to store Clipper coffee and cereals 'in a hygienic manner'. Rodents had nibbled packaging.
• £5,000 for failing to keep rodents out of food storage areas.
Merton council officials found 'rodent faeces and food... gnawed by rodents and the existence of food and water sources within easy reach of rodents'.
The failings had not been put right a month later despite warnings.
• £5,000 for not keeping fridge cabinets at the right temperature and for not logging customer complaints adequately.
The fine for breaches of the Food Safety Act, food safety regulations and food labelling regulations was handed down at Wimbledon magistrates court last week. The company was fined £25,000 in total and ordered to pay council legal costs of £5,550
I can't think why anyone would want to shop at TESCO
Can't see many positives for this development, new houses without the schools, police, doctors, hospitals to support them is pointless. No leisure facilities included which the area desperately needs and what amounts to a 'new-age' estate totally out of place with it's surroundings with a shopping centre on it's doorstep.
My view is that it would be a big mistake and become a crime ridden 'hole' within years.
The sweetner of 'redevelopment' of the Broadway would also destroy traffic flow on a major route and the shopping area would not be revitalised as the mainstream Brand stores would migrate to the shopping area and small stores would be left isolated and unable to compete. The shops themselves would also become worth less and owners will want to sell up before Tesco's opens or face a shop they can't sell.
Nothing against redevelopment of the site but this proposal is purely about maximising their profit from the site.
This bridge appears to have escalators and step on it. Has anyone asked TESCO how people in wheel chairs or with buggies or with bicycles are supposed to cross this devil of a bridge?
Apparently it will be a travellator (!) bridge. In other words there will be no steps as it will be a moving floor. No idea how that works in wet weather etc but one presumes they have that covered.
Hmm, that doesn't seem very green to me - using electricity to move the walkway when we already have an obese society. I'll have to think of it as the 'Fat bridge' from now on! Oh well at least TESCO are providing something to keep the youth happy - should make skateboarding and cycling on the 'pavement' even more fun!
I'm all for the idea.
I often Shop at the New Malden Tesco and love it. It always seems to be extremely busy, so others must be liking it too.
And I haven't forgotten the fines they recieved, but you will find that the store was going through a major refit at the time, so therefore there was some obvious problems! I haven't noticed anything bad when I go their for my weekly.
Tolworth Broadway needs something, before it comes a mass of Pizza delivery resturants, charity shops and little else. Obviously M&S/Iceland aren't attracting the amount of people needed to invest in the area.
The Tesco they are proposing to build, is no where near as big as New Malden, so presumably would primarily be food, therefore people may wonder on down the High Street for other things (such as the petshop, gardeners etc...) which should help revitalise a dull row of shops!
Tolworth Roundabout, and that Stretch of the A3 is also looking very run down, I very much doubt the council will be paying for improvements anytime soon.
Anyway, I'm all for the idea!
I am all for this project anything that is going to solve the crossing and the barriers and make it all a more attractive place is good enough reason for me.
Of course! What we need is two tesco's about a mile and a half from each other. That'll do the trick.
Yes tolworth needs something doing to it but effectively abandoning it in favour of some retro 60's tower block / shopping centre will not do anything but kill the broadway stone dead. If Tesco is going to re-vitalise the local shops has it decided to invest in any of these potentially thriving business opportunities? Of course not, because it knows that they will be dead within a year or two. What about some form of redevelopment which makes the environment less oppressive, more firendly and a bit more green instead of this transparent attempt to domiate the local economy?
As you will know I have grave reservations about this scheme. However, the one thing you can not accuse Tesco of doing in this instance is atemtping to be "Green".
The proposal, even though there is still no application, is for an array of environmental initaiatives including using rainwater for toilets, green roofs and using the excess heat from refrigeration in the store to be used for heating the buildings.
One visitor to this site mentioned that our MP has been working with Tesco on this development. I am not sure whether the green stuff has come from those efforts or Tesco just feel it more likely to get planning approval if they put them in.
The one group I have yet to hear much from are the retailer's on the Broadway. I am sure Leslie Gilbert will have some views as to what should happen.
I do not think that tower blocks are appropriate for this site. Also, the sheer number of extra cars and people will overwhelm the area. The Tolworth roundabout, Ewell Road and A3 cannot cope with the current amount of traffic. With this number of new homes the whole area will come to a total standstill.
What about schools and other facilities? I am not aware that there is huge capacity in any local services for this number of new residents.
Surely we do not need another Tesco so close to the huge one in New Malden? How much shopping can people DO??
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