Tesco - May 2008 Consultation

300 residents living closest to the 'regeneration' site received a letter from Tesco in the post on 17th April 2008. It invited them to take part in a 'workshop', however places had to be booked in advance via phone or email. As only those registering would be told the dates and venues it was clear that Tesco wanted to closely control future 'public consultation'.

It is not clear how many people attended these 'workshop' sessions in May. There were some complaints that it was difficult to book a place by phone, and that details of times and venues were sent out at the last minute making it difficult to attend.

Emerging Plans

A summary of Tesco's plans, emerging from their consultation sessions in May 2008:

  • complete clearance of the entire 'regeneration' site
  • a 24 hour Tesco store (4500 sq m - approx one third bigger than Sainsburys)
  • a series of shop units along a 20m wide pedestrian piazza that leads from East Barnet Road to the footpath to Victoria Park
  • Shops, Post Office and Pub on a triangular block at the Victoria Road end of site - service access via Victoria Road (opposite Albert Road)
  • Tesco store entrance via 20m wide double height unit at St James Church end of site - majority of store is set back behind new shops in East Barnet Road
  • sub basement parking for 339 cars to serve the supermarket & shops (3 - 4 hours free parking for shoppers)
  • basement parking for 253 cars to serve the residential development
  • access to both car parks is via Victoria Road using a new mini roundabout at the Glyn Avenue junction - all cars leaving will have to turn left towards East Barnet Road
  • delivery access to the supermarket from East Barnet Road via a 12m wide service road alongside St James Church
  • at least 200 residential units in blocks ranging from 6 to 2 storeys high, above the supermarket and shop 'podium' level
  • some 'town houses' in Victoria Road
  • green roof to all buildings
  • an area of 'public park' sloping up above the development, accessed from Victoria Road
  • buildings fronting East Barnet Road to be set back to create a wider pavement and room for a bus layby
  • no plans to widen Victoria Road (carriageway or pavements)

Tesco are planning a public exhibition of their plans in June. An application for planning permission could be made 'during the summer'. Projected construction time is 18 - 24 months, with an earliest possible start date of summer 2009 (should they receive planning permission and have successfully bought all the properties on the site).

  • This completely unofficial sketch map [433K pdf] of Tesco's site plan is based on information gathered at the May 2008 'workshop' consultation sessions
  • A second unofficial sketch map shows the outline of the regeneration site [416k pdf]

Note: Some of these details may now be out of date