Update on Tesco Hub development

A quick update on some of the key points from last nights public meeting at the Hideaway regarding the Tesco Hub Development, at which representative from Tesco, Vinci construction and Lambeth Council were present. This isn't exhaustive, and i'll update and link to information as others post it. (You can see the report from the last public meeting here).

1. Tesco won't be paying a London Living Wage to employees (more details here).

2. The new store will be open 24 hours a day. Concerns were expressed about the anti-social consequences experienced at other 24 hour Tesco stores such as Thornton Heath.

3. There are still no plans by Lambeth Council to have a sauna and steam room in the new leisure centre, despite the promise that was made of a like-for-like replacement.

4. Cars have been scraped and damaged by lorries working on the development on Natal Road. Cracks have appeared in the premises of local businesses because of the vibrations from the work at the site. Vinci construction said that local people had to provide proof it was their workers/ contractors which had done the damage.

5. None of the representatives present had any information on the impact of increased air pollution caused by 600 new parking spaces and an extra lane of traffic being put in outside, and what action (if any) is being taken to mitigate it. (Air pollution is the cause of 4,600 premature deaths in London each year, and a major problem on Streatham High Road). Peter Muncaster who is the public liaison said that he would raise this issue with Lambeth Planning. Streatham Green Party will raised it as well.

6. There was no information available on whether new provision for cyclists is being introduced along with the increase in traffic.

7. Tesco suggested that although there would be an increase in traffic around the new Tesco superstore, there would be a "net decrease" more widely.

8. There is ongoing concern about the detrimental impact on new local businesses when the new Tesco opens.

9. There was concern that Section 106 money would not be spent on the area immediately around the development, but would be used for other things.

10. There were questions about the rise in costs. It was confirmed that there had been a recent increase of a quarter of a million pounds.

11. The development is on track for completion in November 2013.

12. Information about the size of any new public space in front of the development was not available.

13. The United Reformed Church, at the centre of the development, is concerned about the location of the entrance.

14. Only 200 newsletters on the progress at the hub are being distributed to local people. Many present said they hadn't received one but wanted to. There is an email list to sign up to. Vinci promised that information would be circulated more widely.

We will be following up these issues with the relevant people at Lambeth, Vinci and Tesco.