please empty your brain below
There's a similar, although not quite as ambitious, development proposed by Tesco for Highams Park. It's been going backwards and forwards in the planning system for four years now, with the council, London mayor and S of S all debating the merits (or not) and the local residents' groups opposed. Might be a while before your local development gets the go-ahead!

Ewan | 26.09.09 - 9:18 a.m. | #

T£$co own a lot of land/property in Islington. Nuff said.

Blue Witch | Homepage | 26.09.09 - 10:35 a.m. | #

Was the exhibition staffed by smarmy people stressing all the wonderful 'community benefits' and 'green credentials' whilst hardly mentioning the massive superstore and underground car park?

Many 'community benefits' are found to be 'no longer viable' when it comes to a final scheme, and strangely all that gets built is the superstore and flats.

You always have to translate the developer speak at these events. '460 new homes' = 460 minuscule flats piled on top of a superstore.

I expect that the questionnaire was very carefully phrased in such a way that all the answers given could be seen to positively welcome this development.

Superstore developers like to be able to publish press releases showing 'massive local support' early on. Therefore all those who would have opposed think they are in a minority (even if they aren't) and drop away.

Dave | Homepage | 26.09.09 - 11:12 a.m. | #

Very pushy staff in that exhibition talking of "opening up" the Three Mills heritage site - more like hemming it in! No plans to improve bus links to/from the Bow Church area (Look for the bus going to "Twelvetrees Crescent" - where???) or pedestrian access to/from Bromley-by-Bow station it seems, given the area is cut off by the Blackwall Tunnel Approach. How about Tesco funding step-free lifts here? (though keep the blue blob off the Tube map). Will the small retail units be able to compete with Westfield Stratford or Canary Wharf?

Kim | 26.09.09 - 2:22 p.m. | #

I don't know if this could possibly work... Bow / E3 is a shopping wasteland.

You cannot buy a book in Bow.

But then again, do I want to buy a book in Bow? I live here and I can't wait to leave.

Sorry, DG... :-(

EskimoPie | 26.09.09 - 9:35 p.m. | #

Thanks for the update DG. After all this takes place will I still be able to run along the canal from Victoria Park to Limehouse via Bromly-by-Bow ?

miles | 27.09.09 - 12:33 a.m. | #

I buy books in Bow, and they're delivered by Amazon (Royal Mail permiting.)

Kim | 27.09.09 - 2:19 a.m. | #

I don't see the middle classes wanting to raise young children beside what is effectively a motorway. Unfortunately Tesco, in its desire to control 100 per cent of our lifetime's needs, can afford to employ much cleverer lawyers than most public bodies they run up against. This is the same organisation which describes Allotments in Hadleigh, Suffolk, as "intrusive and having a negative effect...." in a planning application (see current Private Eye)

felix | 27.09.09 - 4:26 a.m. | #

And won't all this be a bit superfluous with Mallzilla being built round the corner in Straford (with its almost unrivalled transport tentacles)?

TIW | Homepage | 27.09.09 - 12:42 p.m. | #

Westfield is certainly the elephant in the room, or will be come 2011.

When there's a John Lewis, M&S and Waitrose in a megamall a mile up the road, who's going to want to come high street shopping in nu-Bromley-by-Bow?

diamond geezer | Homepage | 27.09.09 - 12:56 p.m. | #

High Street Ken and King's Road have been busier on weekends than before Westfield... I think it's a different crowd...

who knows what Westfield 2 will do to Bow High Street...

Sy | 27.09.09 - 10:35 p.m. | #

I'm not sure that it is Tesco who are pushing this forward - I think it's something that has been a glint in the eye of the planners for some time, and is being pushed by LTGDC as the regeneration agency. The have already published and agreed some land use plans which have become part of the B-b-B Masterplan.

I remember a much earlier report which hoped that Tesco could be persuaded to move to free up some space for the regeneration. As you say the A12 has always seems a fairly insurmountable barrier to me.

Brendan | 28.09.09 - 12:26 a.m. | #

The B-by-B Masterplan is definitely a Tower Hamlets and LTGDC priority. But my invite to this particular consultation event arrived through the post on Tesco-headed notepaper. I wonder whether they wrote to all local residents, or just to those with Clubcards.

diamond geezer | Homepage | 28.09.09 - 12:54 a.m. | #

Thanks for the information, rather more than was available yesterday in the BbyB Tesco. A stand alerted me to the proposals and the (non) availability of leaflets for feedback. 'Fraid I laughed (reading Anna Minton's 'Ground Control', sadly not acquired in east London). As others note - why? Why there? What about the eastern end of the Roman Road? And pedestrian access? Keep on it DG.

Amanda | 30.09.09 - 11:48 a.m. | #

I also saw the signs in Tesco but could find no leaflets.
In the ideal world improvements to the local area would be driven by a council that wants to look after it's residents. However, in an area where few pay taxes or council tax, there is little incentive.
As a local resident I am all for improvemnet, even if it is at the hands of Tesco.
Let's be honest, they can't make the area look worse.
A new school is needed and is unlikely to be built without them. Not usually one to come out on the side of the capitalist driven supermarkets, in this instance, I'll be happy to see my my local area made nicer and more usable.

Nicole | 04.10.09 - 9:05 p.m. | #











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