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Thursday, September 09, 2010 02:54 PM Home > Village > Village Forum
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Posted By: ? on Wednesday, February 17, 2010 2:37:03 PM
Subject: BAE Systems Planning P/01589/09
Message: Yet another bad planning decision. The loss of the small Somerton store and the coming of an Aldi store is like comparing apples and oranges: the Co-op in Cowes and in Mill Hill Road both serve their local communities admirably and have been trying hard lately following a wobbly period with supply continuity; rumour has it that Sainsbury has realised the mistakes it made when opening the local store in Cowes and is revamping that outlet, better tuned to the community's needs. We just do not NEED an additional significantly-sized, second-tier, out-of-town store which will act as a magnet for the WHOLE of the Island (just as Lidl in Newport does), thereby generating unwelcome increases in traffic volumes, diluting trade in all our local community stores, and further eroding open space between Northwood and Cowes. The argument over job creation is a fragile one: yet more service industry jobs at service industry pay rates for the Island?
The whole scheme is predicated (understandably) on commercial gain for BAE Systems, whose continuing commitment to the Island, despite their protestations to the contrary, must be doubted by their very act of 'selling off some of the family silver'.
When will the Island realise that what it DOES need to thrive is more high added-value jobs, paying high wages and injecting professional skills and attitudes into the community, maintained preferably within (and serviced by) established Island businesses - not further consumer and retail opportunities as a substitute ad nauseam?
But then the accountants always did win....
 
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