No to Tesco Cheddar

Tesco want to build a large new supermarket and petrol filling station on the site of Cheddar Football Club at the entrance to our village of Cheddar.

Cheddar is a rural village with numerous supermarkets already available just a short drive away. The open, beautiful, landscape in this part of Cheddar will not be enhanced by the erection of an ugly new supermarket, service yard, petrol station and car park, particularly on a site which borders an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Tesco will rely on visits by cars from surrounding villages. There will be significant negative impact on traffic congestion and road safety. Pedestrian access to the store is unsuitable, particularly for the elderly, disabled or people with pushchairs as the cycle way involves a flight of steps and an unmade pathway.

Village centre shops, as well as those in surrounding villages will suffer from trade leakage and some may close. Many Cheddar residents already leave the village for their bulk shopping so that they can use a wider range of facilities in nearby towns, not just supermarkets, and for many residents those trips will continue even if a supermarket is built here.