Tesco no-show as supermarket pulls out of town development

6:00pm Monday 28th January 2013 in Harwich and Manningtree News By Helen Barnett

A SUPERMARKET which could have brought hundreds of jobs is no longer interested in the town.

Tesco confirmed it was not looking to move in to the former Delfords site in Main Road, Dovercourt, which has lain empty for more than three years.

Its owner Scott Properties has been trying to negotiate a deal to exchange land with Tendring Council so a mini-roundabout could be built.

The land acquisition would allow for a wider entrance to the site, which is also known as Vacuumatic.

Unable to reach an agreement, Scott Properties has now found that Tesco will not be moving in.

Tendring’s leader and finance boss Peter Halliday said: “It is publicly owned land and we have to get our best value for it. We do appreciate the benefits of doing business to see supermarkets turn up but they can have a negative impact as well as positive.”

Comments(9)

CRG2001 says...
7:18pm Mon 28 Jan 13

Harwich clearly cannot support another supermarket. This site was traditionally an industrial employment site and is designated to continue to be so in the new local plan. The owner needs to market the site as suitable for small industrial units, as there are none available in Harwich and there is a strong demand. TDC also need to make it clear that the site can only be used for employment and not retail.

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CRG2001 says...
7:26pm Mon 28 Jan 13

The planning follies of the last decade need to be reversed and the stupidity of building houses on industrial sites stopped. It is strange that Manningtree, the smallest town in England has 90% more small industrial units than Harwich an International port! The reason that Harwich is so deprived is the lack of meaningful employment in the area due to poor planning. Shops are no good on a peninsular if there are no wages!

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bloke down the pub says...
8:35pm Mon 28 Jan 13

To many small minded people trying to run Harwich, by turning it in to Tilbury. They have one thing on their minds Containers. R.I.P Harwich.

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multitasker says...
10:32pm Mon 28 Jan 13

Shame Tesco not coming to Harwich so now we are left with another derelict site an ideal target for vandals. I don't think industrial units would work here. This town either needs a massive boost of nationals or closing down altogether. Let's face it its a dismal place already. Fancy getting of a cruise ship and seeing HArwich first of all, off putting and not a good advertisement for the UK.

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braeside says...
8:14am Tue 29 Jan 13

It is common sense that Tescos would not go on the vatamatic site, seeing their sister company that they own 100 percent being onestop opened last year at the devon.

also they are building a store at maningtree so they wouldnt build at harwich.

the site has major problems for something like a big building going on it, because of the major sewer pipe that runs through the site. if that was not there delfer sortweigh would still be there. this is a housing site

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bloke down the pub says...
3:56pm Tue 29 Jan 13

Lets build a lot of cheap housing to encourage a lot of out of work to move in. What this town needs is more BIG stores/employers, and more expensive housing,for people who are more likely to start their own business or run one from their home.

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braeside says...
4:20pm Tue 29 Jan 13

the bloke down the pub seems to be talking rubixh because the type of people with money would go to london to shop not harwich, and unless its out of town there is no way the national retailers would come to harwich

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bloke down the pub says...
3:52pm Wed 30 Jan 13

Tescos are a national retailer.

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braeside says...
6:34pm Wed 30 Jan 13

yes and they are already in harwich/dovercourt, i.e their shop one stop

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