If you care about the progress that Margate has made in the past few years, hopefully you’ll already understand what a terrible idea the planned Tesco superstore is.

Please take the time to write an email and demand a public enquiry into this poor decision. Thanks to the No Tesco Superstore campaign here’s more information:

If you would like a better future for Margate we need to make sure there is a public enquiry of this application. Do this this by emailing The National Planning Casework Unit at npcu@gowm.gsi.gov.uk and copy also to Eric Pickles MP, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government at eric.pickles@communities.gsi.gov.uk

Quoting application ref F/TH/10/1061 and giving your name and address.

Suggested reasons could be:
- The effect the development will have on traffic in town.
- The impact the development will have on local businesses.
- The scale of the proposed store is disproportionate for this prominent seafront location.

Here are some answers to questions you might have about the Arlington site:
Who owns the Arlington Site?
The freehold of the land is held by Thanet District Council. The company Freshwater have a long lease of 199 years granted in 1961. Thanet District Council as an Authority can require Freshwater to maintain and repair their building.

Have Tesco promised to renovate Arlington House?
No!
The planning application is from Freshwater, not Tesco.
Many people are under the impression that Tesco will pay for the refurbishment and redevelopment of Arlington House. Actually, Tesco has promised nothing.

Who are Freshwater?
Freshwater is a family business. They are a large worldwide property investment company. They own large amount of property in Central London in prime locations such as Shaftsbury avenue as well as all over the world.

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-924128-who-really-owns-london.do

Since Freshwater bought Arlington House, they have not only failed to maintain the building, but have actively evicted businesses and made changes to make the shops unviable. They are incredibly rich, yet they have brought our town into disrepute by the continued neglect of the Arlington site.
So can we rely on Freshwater to improve things for residents or our town?
Probably not!

Won’t it be good to have a supermarket at Arlington?
It could be good to have a small supermarket where local people could shop. Many people are under the false impression that what is proposed is small Tesco Metro sized store. But in fact it is a superstore as big as 2 football pitches (82,000 square feet) so most people will come by car. This is the first proposed seafront superstore that has been approved in the UK. This will bring thousands of extra cars, vans and lorries on the seafront every day and will bring a loss in trade to local shops. The council’s own report predicts almost 17,000 extra vehicle movements on a Friday and Saturday. The traffic report the applicant conducted was carried out in October out of season, before The Turner Contemporary opened. Turner was not accounted for, neither was a future Dreamland or a regenerated Margate.

Will the seafront look better?
No. Tesco is not offering to redevelop the seafront part of the site. Only outline planning has been submitted for a potential hotel at the front. With no commitment from an investor the shops at the front will be demolished to avoid business rates. Margate seafront will have a derelict boarded up site for decades.
Is this any better than we have now? It could look even worse!

So will Margate get a contribution?
When big projects are granted, developers are usually asked to put something back into the area in return. This is called a Section 106 agreement.
Usually, for a store this size, Tesco would be asked to contribute millions.
In this case, all that is being offered is “improvements” to the roundabout at Station Green – which means Freshwater will pay for the changes they need to make in order to get lorries for the Superstore into All Saints Avenue. Not exactly a generous gift to the community!
Arlington House looks a mess. Won’t it be improved if Tesco pay for it?
Tesco has not offered to pay for any improvements to Arlington house.
The “improvements” promised by Freshwater will be paid for by Arlington House residents. And even then, they might not be able to deliver. Freshwater cannot make residents change their windows. It will be a patchwork of old and new. The building will actually look worse than it does now.

Will Tesco bring prosperity and jobs to Margate?
Large superstores kill more local business and jobs than they create.
Supermarket chains control more than 80% of the grocery market and yet they employ only 50% more staff than small shops. Small shops are better for employment than having a superstore. To increase local employment would be better off encouraging smaller local shops not bringing in a Superstore to kill them.
Freshwater have predicted an estimated 30% loss of business to existing trade (20% Westwood Cross, 10% the centre of Margate). Our local shops are already struggling, with Margate at the top of the chart with 37.4% shops lying vacant. Shall we say it again? Superstores cause more loss of jobs and wealth in an area than they create. See this report for details of community impacts:

http://www.foe.co.uk/resource/briefings/good_neighbours_community.pdf

Does a superstore bring money to the area?
No, it will take money out of the area. Profits from Superstores go to shareholders worldwide. Local shops spend their profits back into the local economy. See report from FoE above.

If Freshwater doesn’t get permission will the site remain an eyesore?
Not necessarily. There are alternatives.
For example, TDC could serve Freshwater with a repairs notice, obliging them to un-board and renovate the retail units, carry out repairs etc.
If Freshwater had to spend money on the site, they would think of a profitable scheme.
A smaller supermarket could bring shoppers to the arcade. The carpark could be used for people going to the beach, the Turner Contemporary and to Dreamland. If the gates were removed between arcade and parking, there would be lots of footfall.

And how about this for inspiration for an alternative use for Arlington?
The Sands Development in Scarborough, built without public money during the recession, is an award winning seafront development offering high quality tourist accommodation and long term lets. It has brought valuable investment to Scarborough, which has a history very similar to Margate. Locals didn’t think it would work, but now the flats sell at £200k-£250k and have brought valuable investment and money to the town. Here’s info on the development.
And also this alternative vision from Sam Causer Architect:

http://margatecaag.wordpress.com/2011/06/07/a-plan-for-arlington/

If you would like a better future for Margate we need to make sure there is a public enquiry of this application. You can do this by emailing The National Planning Casework Unit at npcu@gowm.gsi.gov.uk and copy also to Eric Pickles MP, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government at eric.pickles@communities.gsi.gov.uk

Quoting application ref F/TH/10/1061 and giving your name and address.

Suggested reasons could be:
- The effect the development will have on traffic in town.
- The impact the development will have on local businesses.
- The scale of the proposed store is disproportionate for this prominent seafront location.