Print
E-mail
Tesco, the country's largest retailer, has said it will build more stores and increase employee numbers in Ireland – but only if the planning mix is right and no caps on floor space are introduced by planners.
In a submission to Fingal County Council, seen by the Sunday Tribune, the giant retailer says it will deliver "additional food stores" and create new jobs during a period of economic contraction. However, it tells Fingal that the council needs to be proactive in facilitating such moves.
One of the firm's chief demands, in relation to a new development plan for Fingal, is that no "quantitative floorspace caps'' should be included.
The retailer holds out the prospect of price reductions if planners are more flexible in their approach to the retail sector. "The average price of the shopping basket remains high in Dublin relative to comparative EU cities and this can be addressed through the appropriate provision of retail facilities at the source of demand," it states.
The company, which entered the Irish market by buying Quinnsworth, says a larger provision of stores in Fingal and other areas should prevent a "leakage" of customers to Northern Ireland and should also reduce prices.
"There is an identified need for additional retail facilities within the jurisdiction of Fingal County Council which has been recognised in the retail strategy," says the firm. It points out that "traditionally" planning has slowed and restricted the delivery of retail floorspace. It suggests caps are one of these impediments.
"The implementation of floorspace caps may result in reduced competition, reduced employment and underprovision of retail floorspace, particularly where a settlement experiences rapid population growth," suggests the company's submission.
"The planning authority should ensure the appropriate retail designations are in place to support revenue and employment-generating retail development."
The retailer, led by chief executive Terry Leahy, devotes a large part of its submission to calling on planners to expand the amount of car parking allowed with retail centres.
Tesco rejects the idea that the retailing sector will necessarily be damaged by the downturn, "as a substantial proportion of convenience goods are staple".
del.icio.us
digg
Facebook
Google
As an Electrical Appliance Retailer in Northern Ireland who has some experience of the big supermakets this typically agressive opportunistic approach by Tesco comes as no surprise. The leveraging of elected officials in carefully worded press releases to place wrongful pressures for support short term economic expansionism is a tactic all too easily rolled out by the big supermarkets that in the long term decimates local economies, customer choice and competition.
Using the arguement of reducing leakage of the Irish economy into Northern Ireland is a weak argument as such trade is and will always be a matter of 'swings and roundabouts.'
As UK local authorities have realised to their cost, all to late.... Town centres are about communities and relationships, planning concessions such as is being asked at present is like a shot of adrenalin to an already sick patient. Such investment will come anyway in some form or other in what is on the whole a safe and stable market place. It needs not to bite the hand that feeds it.
Chris Dalzell - Dalzell's of Markethill www.armaghelectrical.com