We have received a communique from the Chairman of Stalybridge Business Forum regarding the sale of the Leech Street Car Park to Aldi. The letter reads as follows:
“We attach 68 signatures of Stalybridge businesses from the town centre area who object to the sale of the Leech Street/Melbourne Street car park to Aldi.
Objections. We believe it would be detrimental to the availability of parking facilities for Stalybridge traders and customers.
It is also stated there are 2 additional pay and display car parks close by on Castle Street providing 150 spaces in total. The major 130 space car park is a temporary unmade and unlit area that has planning permission for dwellings and could be sold in the near future. This will leave only 16 spaces on the small Castle Street car park which will be used mainly by existing permit holders.
The UDP of Tameside clearly states” public car parks will be managed so as to encourage short stay use to support commercial activities in the town centres and to discourage carbourne commuting. The council will require opportunities for the shared use of car parks to be examined when considering major development proposals and development proposals in the town centre” as this will become under Aldi control it will not be general parking there in breach of the UDP. Pay & Display Parking in Stalybridge will be reduced by Approx 19% clearly going against the UDP
Table 4 of the UDP indicates that by the council granting planning permission will be operating in a manner outside of their own UDP, also Tameside are committed to improving the accessibility of town centres by public and private transport and for pedestrians, these proposals do not achieve this aim.
At present some business owners have permits or pay £2 per day if this car park is sold there would little or no parking availability for the owners.
Customers having town centre appointments at dentists, doctors, opticians and hairdressers would not have enough time in 90 mins to make a purchase in Aldi and attend their appointment.
“The Aldi Car Park will allow people to park for free for up to one and a half hours to access other shops and facilities in Stalybridge, including the time spent in Aldi”.
This statement needs a written agreement from Aldi to TMBC.
