Fears that Tesco has axed the multi-million pound expansion of its Burnham-On-Sea store – and thereby pulled the plug on providing £300,000 of community funding to the town appear to have been quashed this week.
The supermarket giant exclusively told Burnham-On-Sea.com that it is ‘still committed’ to the expansion of its Ben Travers Way store, despite concerns that the plans may have been shelved.
Tesco spokeswoman Maxine Crawford told Burnham-On-Sea.com this week: “We are still committed to the extension of our Burnham-On-Sea store but we have no further details at the moment regarding the plans or timing. They are still going through approvals, but we hope to release more information in a couple of weeks’ time.”
The expansion plans were approved by district councillors two years ago and, if unchanged, would lead to an extra 1,200 square metres of shopping space being created, along with additional parking and new jobs.
Also, once the work begins, Tesco will give more than £300,000 to Burnham’s town centre regeneration project as part of an RLT2 agreememt struck with Sedgemoor District Council.
The ‘community gain’ was agreed between Sedgemoor and Tesco at the time that the planning application was approved in order to enhance the town’s shopping environment and help to compensate Burnham traders for any possible lost trade.
Cllr Neville Jones, who is Chairman of the Burnham’s Civic Pride committee, said at the latest town council meeting: “We hope there is still money coming from Tesco for improvements to the town, but no-one can bank on the cash until the long overdue building work begins. My concern is that the RTL2 agreement will expire.”
Although the plans to pedestrianise Burnham High Street were axed last week, the Civic Pride group still wants to use the money to smarten up and modernise the town centre with new street furniture.
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