Calls for probe after Tesco pull-out from Brid

Supermarket giant Tesco was set to play a central role in the long-awaited £200m revamp of Bridlington by building a new expanded store next to its existing base in Hilderthorpe Road, allowing the current site to be redeveloped as part of East Riding Council’s Bridlington Area Action Plan (AAP).

But as revealed in the Yorkshire Post yesterday, Tesco has abandoned plans for the new store, putting at risk a blueprint the council has always insisted was only viable if delivered whole. And stakeholders in the town, many of whom opposed the idea of a bigger Tesco, insist they have never been told of a “Plan B”.

A Government inspector ruled out the development of the harbour top last year following an 18-month public inquiry, concluding that Burlington Parade – the working name of a major, retail, housing and small business development encompassing the Tesco site – could be successfully delivered without it, given “the willingness of the supermarket to relocate its store”. Critics are now calling for an investigation into the management of the regeneration effort, and for the council to reveal how much has been spent pursuing it over the past 15 years.

Andrew Allison, the Hull-based national grassroots co-ordinator of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “It needs a full inquiry. All these millions of pounds that have been spent – the £2m on consultancy fees we know about and it keeps adding up – land acquisition, demolition costs, public exhibitions and staffing costs. The incompetence is just breathtaking.

“Why the heck didn’t they get Tesco to sign on the dotted line? How can you have a multi-million-pound scheme that is so vulnerable if just one partner pulls out?”

Former East Riding councillor Geoff Pickering, who gave evidence to the inquiry, said: “I think they need to explain why they have gone for a plan that is so prescriptive rather than normal planning documents that are flexible and robust enough to take this.

“Why didn’t they take notice of stakeholders when they sat at the opposite side of the table to them in the inquiry? They decided to ignore them and all the checks and balances that would normally be put into this kind of project are not in place because they disregarded other opinions.”

No-one at the council was available for interview yesterday. However, the authority said in a statement that it was “firmly of the view that the policies of the AAP and the clear demand for the new retail space as identified by the two independent studies continue to be the basis for major regeneration in Bridlington town centre”.

It continued: “The policies are considered to be sufficiently robust to guide the development of the Burlington Parade site, alongside Hilderthorpe Road, and achieve the improvements to the economy of the town that are desperately needed.

“Obviously the council is disappointed that Tesco has stated their intention not to progress the development of a new store in Bridlington, particularly as their architects and agents have spent much time on concept plans for the site and surrounding area.

“However, the council respect the decision, and will continue to progress the developments that Bridlington Area Action Plan provides for, initially, with the consultation on the design guidance, the Supplementary Planning Document (SPD), which will run from April 22 to June 2 so the council can listen to public opinion on quality of design, and develop deliverable plans for the town.

“Whilst the Tesco proposal was one possible element of the development, it was not necessarily the first, and certainly not the only site within the Bridlington AAP area for development. Public opinion from the SPD consultation may help to shape the future approach.”