Morrisons store has £500,000 for town to spend on community improvements
WADEBRIDGE could be given a £500,000 cash boost for town and community improvements.
The rumoured half a million pound sum would come from Morrisons, one of three supermarket giants trying to build in the town.
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Morrisons
The money would be made available through a 106 planning agreement providing consent for a new store is granted.
The company has already approached Wadebridge Chamber of Commerce and asked for a wish list of community projects it could help with.
Positive
One of the projects the chamber has suggested is for bollards to be placed at the end of Molesworth Street to help with the continuing plans to pedestrianise the street.
Chamber chairman Darren Rowe said: "I have had some very positive meetings with representatives from Morrisons over the last few weeks. It is very clear that they are very keen to help the town centre stay the busy and vibrant place that it is now and want to work closely with the town's business community.
Enhance
"I presented to them a wish list of ideas, suggested by chamber members, that could enhance the town, such as subsidised parking for local people, a park and ride service, and enhancement to the cycle routes.
"They then offered a large sum of money to help enable this. We realise that this is dependent on planning and a section 106 agreement, but it is very encouraging.
"We have had similar talks with Sainsbury's but these are in the early stages."
Morrisons' development executive, Mark Thompson, said: "Morrisons would like to see this money spent in areas that will be of real benefit to the town and we believe the best approach is for the chamber to help determine what the priorities should be for its allocation.
"Nothing is finalised yet but the suggested areas of improvements to the Camel Trail, and a new pelican crossing for Wadebridge School seem to be favourites at the moment, with Molesworth Street pedestrianisation and parking facilities coming a close second.
Unavailable
"We understand that when the school crossing guide is unavailable, children are left without any provision for safely crossing Gonvena Hill outside the school.
"The county council does not currently have the funds to meet the bill of around £50,000 for the crossing, but we can provide it as part of our development and would be very happy to do so.
"From the start of this project we have made it clear that our proposed scheme can offer substantial and far-reaching benefits to Wadebridge and the surrounding areas.
"These are just some further examples of what is at stake here, in addition to a new supermarket, the new road and business units and overall, more than 200 new local job opportunities.
"In a couple of weeks' time the first phase of the planning process will see the determination of the application to relocate Wadebridge Town Football Club's (WTFC) training facilities to the new site at Bodieve.
"New, self-contained training facilities to suit adults and juniors, complete with changing facilities, all for use by WTFC and Wadebridge School, are being proposed.
"The scheme has a lot of public support and we urge members of Cornwall Council's planning committee to also support this hugely beneficial application."
219 Comments
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by Flom, Planet Earth
Monday, August 23 2010, 12:36PM
“I am mostly just intrigued as to how this carried on for quite so long and drifted (At points) so far off topic.
It appears that you and Mr Trembath have been the main contributors for a while then! Multiple personalities? How do you spot these things? I'd never pick up on something like that!”
by Emmett, In the hoose
Friday, August 20 2010, 9:03AM
“"Well, I suppose a good debate is irresistible!"
You would think so, "Flom", wouldn't you?
No reply from Mr Trembath, though.
Has he been barred for having "multiple personalities"?”
by Flom, Planet Earth
Thursday, August 19 2010, 3:09PM
“IS THIS CONVERSATION STILL GOING?!?!
Well, I suppose a good debate is irresistible!”
by Emmett, In the hoose
Wednesday, August 18 2010, 10:58AM
“"Planning issues should be decided on the facts, and not on the size of the applicants wallet. "
Fact: Morrisons have done their homework and decided that a storeWadebridge would be profitable for them.
Fact: A supermarket would provide much-needed employment in an area of high unemployment.
Fact: Supermarkets are cheaper and more competitive than traditional, smaller outlets, thus helping those on low incomes.
Fact: Supermarket chains now source more local produce.”
by Paddy Trembath, Praa Sands
Wednesday, August 18 2010, 9:06AM
“"The company has already approached Wadebridge Chamber of Commerce and asked for a wish list of community projects it could help with."
"The money would be made available through a 106 planning agreement providing consent for a new store is granted."
Is this really the way we want planning decisions to be decided?
Or, at least appear to be the way they are decided?
Planning issues should be decided on the facts, and not on the size of the applicants wallet.”
by Mike Chappell, Kernow
Tuesday, August 17 2010, 1:43PM
“Thank you Mr Boardman and also your deputy for bringing a little commonsense to this issue. I am obliged to you for the extensive exchange of views yesterday and I have now given one of our members the specific role of monitoring these forums and to report any vitriol or off topic snipes at either myself or the Cornish Movement in general.
I do wish that Cornwall 24 wannabees would go join that forum as their discussion do seem more closely related to the reason for that site than this which is news related.
I am still instructing my solicitor in order that this matter may be properly recorded for future reference.
Unlike so very many, I am not ashamed to reveal my identity.
Now, back to Morrrisons and I am given to understand that this project has now failed due to the appearance of protected species on the site. Jolly good for those who carefully placed them there. An excellent example of canny protest !
Mike Chappell
kernow@celticleague.net”
by Emmett, In the hoose
Tuesday, August 17 2010, 1:21PM
“Here, here, Gaz!
I have family and friends in Cornwall who are proud of who they are, where they live and where they came from.
They don't need someone to remind them that.”
by Emmett, Trying to stay on topic
Tuesday, August 17 2010, 1:18PM
“Morrisons is very handy to where I live and their Tiger bread is lovely!”
by Gary, Saltash
Tuesday, August 17 2010, 1:14PM
“YC I think the moderation team are the ones that need to be praised, we both know this can not be a great time for them, lets hope things become less antagonistic and more open, the more people welcomed here the better. The one power of the internet is it exposes us to million of different opinions and with that we learn, even rational nationalists should not feel threatened making comments here. We do not want to become an anti C24 everyone should be able to comment about the one common element that binds us Cornwall”
by Emmett, In the hoose
Tuesday, August 17 2010, 1:08PM
“This is the one...
The only...
Emmett the illiterate "ant"!”