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Slough of Despond, 24.09.2004 19:54
Tesco are about to resubmit a planning application for their new flagship store in Slough. Only problem is – there’s a rare, 144 year old, Lebanese Cedar tree in the way. Being Corporate Sponsors of the Woodland Trust (protectors of ancient trees), there is obviously only one solution – chop it down!
As it was
As Tesco announce new record profits, they are set to go ahead and destroy some of the few remaining pleasant parts of one of the communities they claim to serve – Slough. Hemmed in by concrete, Slough boasts a beautiful, 144 year-old Lebanese Cedar tree, tucked in between the existing Tesco and the train station (just behind the roundabout at the start of “The Office”)
When Tesco first bought and “developed” the site, this rare tree was granted a specific Tree Protection Order, in recognition of its importance, not least as a regular gathering point for thousands of migrating starlings. Now, Tesco have new expansion plans, which do not include the Cedar. They have bought the only competing supermarket, the Co-Op, and turned it into a Tesco. When the Office of Fair Trading investigated and threatened further action ( http://www.oft.gov.uk/News/Press+releases/2004/14-04.htm ) it was revealed that their actual intention was to use it as a temporary site whilst they redeveloped their existing store, then shutting it down.
The new store is expected to have 60% more shopping space, doubling the size of the car park by adding 335 new spaces, and a new walkway (complete with glass tower that lights up at night) across the A4 to the High Street (potentially cutting out the competing Queensmere shopping centre, which shoppers walking in from the High Street currently walk through). If it goes ahead, then this £30 million development will be the 5th largest Tesco in the country.
Since news of the plans to replace the 144 year-old rare tree with a glass tower that lights up at night leaked out, local residents, in conjunction with the Slough Observer, have collected several thousand signatures in various petitions of protest. The Cedar is a wonderful, beautiful thing that cannot be replaced. It is important for the migrating birds, it is important for the drainage of the land in a concrete desert, it symbolises the power and vitality of nature in even the most notoriously urban environment. The Cedar is only half-way through its expected 300 year life-span, to chop it down to make way for a building not expected to last more than 25 years makes no sense in any language except that of money. Even if Tesco make good their promise to “replace” the Cedar with 8 others ( http://www.thisisslough.com/?module=displaystory&story_id=789), this will in no-way make up for the loss of this one magnificent tree, or absorb the emissions from the huge increase in cars and delivery lorries visiting the site (though we’ll still have the new ones anyway, even if the Cedar stays)
Even more bizarrely, Tesco are a “Corporate Sponsor” of the Woodland Trust (“the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity”), yet seem to think nothing of abandoning their concern for ancient woodland when confronted with a choice between that and illuminated glass towers. The Woodland Trust themselves have written to Slough Borough Council’s planning department, opposing the current plan.
It is not too late to stop this madness. We’re pretty much resigned to Tesco getting their application through in some shape or form, but not at unnecessary waste of the Cedar. Local residents and councillors opposed to the plan have called for 2 demonstrations before the final application decision is made on Tuesday 28th September:
Monday 27th September: 1pm – a vigil by the Cedar (between Tesco, the Brunel Bus Station and Slough Train Station)
Tuesday 28th September: 6pm – a protest outside Slough Town Hall, Bath Road, to demonstrate to the members of the Planning Committee the strength of feeling towards the Cedar, followed by attending the Committee to see what they decide in our interests. It is within the power of the Planning Committee to pass the decision to the full Council for discussion.
It is not too late to stop this – please support us in anyway you can, and stop the relentless destruction of our common heritage to fuel the profits of a few
Please download and print out this poster for display in prominent places
http://www.thisisslough.com/news/ObserverSaveTheCedarPoster.pdf
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