The ever onward march of Tesco - application for expansion at main Kennington store

Tesco continue their ongoing march towards world domination with a request for planning permission to expand their ground floor at their largest SE11 store on Kennington Lane.  See
11/00263/FUL.  You have until 10th March to comment.  The site would need a new pedestrian crossing and pick up point, but the expansion would cause the loss of 41 car parking spaces.  It's an interesting move because it looks as though they're either presuming that much custom will move online or come from people who live within walking distance of the store... or...?

Well, the other possibility is that they'll expand on the currently empty piece of land opposite their site, and located next to the Beefeater distillery.  I can't remember whether they own the land next to the distillery, but I think they might.  There's a 1999 planning application that was withdrawn prior to submission,  99/02207/FUL, which shows the street record for Gasholder Place (an original name for a street) with an application submitted by Tesco.  I wonder whether there's a possibility they'll decrease the size of the car park, increase the size of the current store and then claim that there isn't enough parking, so look to expand on the empty land on the other side of Gasholder place?  It's a heavily residential area so I doubt residents would support additional parking, but if my guesswork is close, it's potentially a clever way of expanding the Tescopoly.

Also, I mentioned a while ago that Tesco have plans to open a new metro store in Kennington Park Business Centre and Caldwell Street (opposite Vassall Road).  One local resident asked that I publicise a petition requesting that the Council refuses permission for future expansion.  If you don't support the continued expansion, you might want to sign here. 

Changes afoot at Kennington Park Business Centre

I've heard that changes have been on the cards at Kennington Park Business Centre for some time, but no further details were forthcoming.  The Kennington Business Centre has potential to be turned into a small local retail/commercial hub, which betters takes advantage of passing trade (at the moment, it's quite "closed", and although it contains a (weekday) restaurant, most people don't realise.  Consequently, I hope the following application is viewed positively. 

A development application (10/04188/FUL) has been submitted requesting permission as follows:

Landscaping / public access
* Provision of a new landscaped public realm accessed from Brixton Road
* Alternations to the main entrance of Canterbury Court from the existing courtyard. 
* Change of use to ground floor of Canterbury Court to shopfront elevations on to Camberwell New Road

Canterbury Court
*  Change of use to ground floor of Canterbury Court to provide Retail / Financial Services / Restaurant floorspace (2,085 sqm)
* Change of use to ground floor of Canterbury Court to provide Leisure floorspace (2,015 sqm)
* Change of use to ground floor of Canterbury Court to provide commercial floorspace (365 sqm)
* Change of use to first floor of Canterbury Court to provide commercial floorspace (2,382 sqm)

Chester House
* Change of use to ground floor of Chester House to provide Retail / Financial Services / Restaurant floorspace (115 sqm)
*  Erection of new single storey to Chester House to provide Retail / Financial Services / Restaurant floorspace (47 sqm)

Chichester House
* Third floor roof extension to Chichester House to provide commercial floorspace (886 sqm)
* Demolition of existing entrance block to Chichester House and Chester House and erection of a new 4 storey entrance extension


Edit:
And on the same site, guess who wants to open a new store?  Yup, you guessed it... our favourite supermarket giant wishes to further expand the Tescopoly.  Stockwell News reports plans for two new Tesco stores on Brixton Road, one at Kennington Park Business Centre and the other further south on the junction of Caldwell St (opposite Vassall Rd).  See more at, "Is Tesco eating Stockwell?".  Perhaps I should refrain from further comment on the basis of Dave Hill's article earlier this week in which he castigated those who have their shopping delivered by Tesco and yet criticise Tesco's ever expanding empire of Express stores.  Oh no, guilty as charged!  Dave suggests instead that people "reduce their dependency on supermarkets and spend more at the local independent shops they value".  Time to start shopping at Londis...