Tesco have lodged their planning application for a Tesco Express in Lysons Avenue (former Tyre and Exhaust Depot). The application is for a building three storeys high, consisting of a ground floor for the store of area 397m² and the first and second floors proposed to be offices (total area 551m²).

The development will have a dramatic worsening effect on the Ash Vale area, examples are:

1. Loss of competition and choice for the consumer. Local shops especially Malli Stores and Woodstock Stores on Vale Road (which have served the community for over 20 years) and shops as far as Ash Wharf and Mytchett will be temporarily undercut by Tesco until they are put out of business. Once Tesco have no competition they can do what they like with prices of goods. (A recent comparison in The Observer Cash supplement (18/5/08) put Tesco Express as the dearest above all suppliers, including local shops).
2. Increase in noise at night and early morning. Tesco Express are not revealing the hours they are proposing to be open in the application, but judging from the experience of other similar stores it will be from 7am until 11pm, 7 days a week. This will inevitably result in noise from customers cars, delivery lorries, and vociferous customers in a development surrounded by housing. The air conditioning running continuously all night in the summer will also be a problem to residents with their windows open.
3. Increase in traffic in the area. Tesco Express has targeted consumers as far away as Ash, North Camp and Tongham with their glossy brochure. It is inevitable because of the poor public transport links that these customers will use their cars, worsening the already overcrowded local roads and further degrading the air quality of Ash Vale. Only 12 parking spaces have been allocated inside the proposed site for the store (staff and customers) meaning that at peak times (morning and evening rush hours) there will be further parking problems along Lysons Avenue, Vale Road and the entrance to Avondale estate.

Please therefore object to Guildford Borough Council before 8^th August 2008. A draft letter can be downloaded here. If you have time please edit the letter in your own words (which is more effective). However if you have little time to spare then just use the draft letter. Please fill your name and address and also the date in the top and then sign at the bottom. You can then either print it off (an envelope and stamp to send it to GBC can be obtained free of charge at Malli or Woodstock stores) or email the file to <planningenquiries@guildford.gov.uk>

To view the application details online go to the Guildford Borough website on-line search and put in the application number (08/P/01238). You may also file an objection on-line by clicking on "Consultation" on the application detail page and then filling in the form.