Cornish Social & Economic Research Group

So far proposals, actual or tentative, include Sainsbury's at Loggans Moor, ASDA on the rugby ground and an unknown one on the Harbour land.

Points raised in support include expanding choice, competition, creating jobs, Sainsbury's have suggested that if the proposal were to go ahead, there would be road 'improvements' thus alleviating the adverse effects of additional traffic.

Included amongst the arguments against, are the negative impact on the landscape, potential loss of jobs amongst existing shops in the town, generation of additional traffic.

Sainsbury's stated that 89% of the completed feedback forms from their exhibition were in support of their proposals.

There are some important issues here. What should be the role of supermarkets in terms of retail provision? What issues should be taken into account when proposals for supermarkets are brought forward? How should consultations be carried out?

Issues

The growth of supermarkets has generated a substantial debate over their merits and demerits, including the impact on suppliers, the hollowing out of the traditional high street, diet, amongst others. This paper looks at some of these issues.

Supermarkets have changed the face of retailing, enabling consumers to purchase a wide range of goods within the same store. They offer convenience and choice. Yet they can have a negative impact on other facilities and generate high levels of traffic. By locating on out of town sites adjacent to the road network, they encourage shoppers from other settlements. Supermarkets generate traffic, and this is an issue, which needs to be addressed. The answer is not to increase road capacity or car parking capacity, that is a never-ending non-solution. However, it is also rather unrealistic to expect shoppers to walk or cycle to do their weekly shop, though the use of car parking charges are a useful method of limiting car trips. Supermarkets also have a substantial impact on the landscape. They take up significant areas of land and the style and character of the buildings is invariably at odds with the local vernacular. Large areas of car parks not only utilize a valuable resource but also lead to additional surface water runoff. Local authorities have little control over supermarket development, lacking the necessary powers and resources to offset the financial muscle of the supermarket chains and being aware that if they refuse and the supermarket appeals, followed by a ruling against them, the local authority will be severely out of pocket.

Developing a retail centre for Hayle is problematical with the development over the years of a number of small centres within the town. However, establishing an out of town retail park at Loggans Moor can hardly benefit the town. It clearly encourages car trips not only from with Hayle but from other towns on the A30, ideal for the stores yet somewhat unsustainable. New development should be within the town with appropriate car parking and good bus links. Also being within the town they allow for people to walk or cycle to shop for those odd items, trips that are usually undertaken by car! There is of course an argument to move towards home shopping, surely a means of reducing both travel and a factor mentioned by several commentators - namely time.

The danger under present conditions is that developers regard Cornwall as a place where there is potential for growth regardless of the impact on the local economy, environment and communities. Each town considers that to progress it must have more supermarkets to draw people away from other towns, regardless of the impact on congestion. It could also be argued that supermarkets are seen as a means of generating employment, perhaps. Yet should we not be aiming to generate more high quality well paid employment?

The argument that competition will improve choice is contestable. Competition from out of town stores may well reduce choice in Hayle itself, if existing stores close, making it harder for those without car access to shop. It could also be argued that the presence of a Lidl store at Hayle provides a competitive element. There is also the question over whether Sainsbury's regards Hayle itself as its main market, or whether in line with its customer profile, the Hayle location with good road access, is designed to attract more affluent shoppers from further afield.

The nature of the consultation process is flawed. It cannot be acceptable that those initiating a proposal should also carry out a consultation exercise. They will inevitably set out what they perceive as the advantages of the proposal, not the disadvantages or the wider context. Sainsbury's have the resources and expertise to perform a well-crafted public relations exercise.

We can establish a number of basic guidelines. Retail development should be targeted on brownfield rather than greenfield land.

Supermarkets should be developed within or adjacent to existing shopping centres within towns, not out of town. They should complement rather than replace local shops.

Retail policy should promote shops that cater for local use rather than those that encourage shoppers to travel from other towns. This is particularly the case with food shops; there should be no justification for traveling to another town to shop.

To ensure fair competition with other shops, supermarket car parking should not be 'free.'

Supermarket chains should not be able due to their financial resources to do as they wish. The right to go to appeal and win expenses against local authorities should not be an option.

Consultation processes should not be undertaken by developers who will only provide information that supports their case. Any consultation process should set out all the issues that are relevant.

Planning policy in Cornwall should be able to determine what is appropriate for Cornwall.

A meaningful consultation exercise should include three core elements:
• • It should be carried out by an impartial agency, not those putting forward the proposal;
• • Funding should be provided for community groups to develop alternative critiques and proposals;
• • All sides of the argument should be available for the public to assess.

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