Opinion divided as third Tesco superstore given green light

Residents hoping to get a job at the new store applauded when the plans were approved by Hull Council's planning committee by five votes to two.

The superstore giant, Britain's largest supermarket chain, says 330 jobs will be created at the store on the former Tradex site.

However planning officials at Hull Council had recommended refusal, pointing to the level of empty shops along Anlaby Road and nearby Hessle Road. They said the store would increase the amount of floorspace currently trading in similar goods along Anlaby Road by 90 per cent.

The new superstore is a "regeneration partnership" store, with around half the jobs set to go to the long-term unemployed, including those with poor numeracy and literacy and learning disabilities.

The East Yorkshire branch of the Federation of Small Businesses had urged councillors to turn the plans down, saying that while jobs would be created others would be lost from other shops shutting down.

The store, which will be opposite a Netto, would have a gross floorspace of 74,692 sq ft, parking for just under 400 cars and space for four other retail units.

A report to planners reflected the divided opinion in the area, as 57 pro forma letters sent from households expressed their support for the new jobs and greater shopping choice.

However, other residents near the store objected because of the extra disturbance, the loss of some local jobs and money from the local economy "being siphoned towards shareholders and distant corporations".

Around 85 per cent of shopping done in Hull is already in superstores. In its report the council said Asda on Hessle Road, under a mile away "clearly would suffer some impact from the proposal".

One of the councillors to support the proposal was Holderness ward councillor John Nicholson, who welcomed the opportunity to transform an "unsightly" site.

He said: "Along with other members of the council we are sick of looking at sites that have received planning permission but the developers haven't done anything.

"I think it will bring Anlaby Road alive again – it was looking quite shabby.

"People seem to think it is going to draw customers away from Hessle Road, but I don't think it will. I think it will draw people from Cottingham, Willerby and Anlaby. While it is not a planning concern there will be 300 jobs."

However, Coun Nadine Fudge, who spoke against the application said: "I still think it will just make Hull a Tesco city. It's not as if residents are deprived of supermarkets – there's Asda, Lidl, Sainsbury and Netto, and if they want a 10-minute bus ride into town to the Tesco at St Stephen's.

"Gateway (the agency undertaking regeneration in the area) is starting to do up Anlaby Road nicely, but I just think we will end up with more boarded up shops because small traders can't compete with Tesco."

Tesco said it did not have a timescale for work to start. A spokesman said: "We were delighted it has been given support by local councillors.

"There were many, many people who were interested in jobs upfront and we will be getting in contact as we progress the project. When we invest in areas other investment comes on the back of it.

"Ultimately it's customers who decide where they shop – if we provide a good service they will shop with us."