Marks and Spencer Update

In a conversation with Miss Parks, a spokesperson for Marks and Spencer, it was made clear to me that whatever the outcome of the current planning application to build a new store on the Marsh Lane retail park, Marks and Spencer will NOT consider any other site in Penwith. If follows therefore that if the the plan for Hayle is rejected then it is the whole of Penwith that will loose out.

Why is Hayle so popular? Well, following the result of a report by retail consultants the research has shown what many of us already suspected, that the Hayle, and the Marsh Lane site in particular lies both geographically and demographically in the centre of West Cornwall and offers good road access for the majority of people living and working and holidaying in the area.

The question of course remains: Will Penwith lift or relax their policy of not allowing food retailing on the site? If not then Marks and Spencer, and most likely the other retailers that would follow them, will not be coming to Hayle, they have already said that a store without a food hall would  not be considered.

No doubt the ban on food retailing at Marsh lane was well intentioned, without it there would be nothing to prevent out-of-town supermarkets such as Tesco and Morrison's from setting up with the resultant negative impact on the existing shops in Hayle.  So how can the impasse be got around, How can Marks and Spencer be allowed to have their store without opening the doors to a raft of other food retailers? 

How about a compromise??

If Penwith District Council  were to modify the restriction so that instead of totally banning food retailing it restricted the food retail area in any one store to 50% then we may have a way forward. The exact percentage could be argued over or even a limit put on the actual floor area instead if or in addition to a percentage, its the principle that's important.

Such a revised restriction would allow the Marks and Spencer store to be viable and generate the trade it needs but would deter out of town supermarket companies from getting in by the back door, thereby safeguarding existing Hayle businesses.
 

If any you actually like the idea of M&S opening on Marsh Lane, just write to or email to Penwith District Council planning office (now Sustainable Development) and ask them to register your support. You can also express your opinion by using the voting button on this page, but don't let that be your excuse for not contacting Penwith Council yourself.

For or against? Register your vote

To let the planners know how you feel write to them at quoting Ref No: 05/P/1410/FD
Mr A England Sustainable Development Manager Penwith District Council St. Clare Penzance TR18 3QW	Email:devcon@penwith.gov.uk Tel: 01736 331166 Fax: 01736 336566

This article was submitted by Harry Blakeley. We welcome your articles on this or any other topic  that relates to Hayle. All submissions will be considered for publication no matter what viewpoint you may have, See the CONTRIBUTE page for more details. For shorter comments why not visit our DISCUSSION FORUM