A BID to build a Tesco supermarket in Lightwater, which triggered hundreds of objections, has been thrown out by a planning inspector. The applicants appealed against Surrey Heath Borough Council’s refusal of permission for the store, in Guildford Road, which would have been turned over to Tesco after being built. The application was to knock down the DIY shop, Lightwater Homecare, to make way for the new store and flats above it. The Stilwell Partnership were appointed by the Lightwater Business Association to provide traffic and highways advice in respect of the highways related refusal.
Surrey County Council, the highway authority, provided little guidance to the LPA and had no observations on the proposal despite the significant existing issues in Lightwater in relation to parking and highway safety. Our evidence showed that there is a significant shortfall in customer parking, as well as the significant omission of any staff parking or provision for the first floor flats. There would be a significant increase of potentially illegal and unsafe on-street parking. The potential intensification of the land use, longer opening hours and increased staff numbers were also serious cause for highway concern.
The likely service vehicles which will attempt to service the site would have to use a shared car park and service area. There is insufficient space for a servicing vehicle to turn, forcing hazardous manoeuvres such as reversing into the main road.
Taking on board the analysis in our evidence, The Planning inspector said “I consider that on balance my conclusion on the effect on highway safety warrants dismissal of this appeal.”
[…] environmental issues (like flooding), public transport networks or major new retail parks. Stilwell Highway evidence leads to rejection of Lightwater Tesco Appeal. Community right to build The Act gives groups of local people the power to deliver development that […]