Tesco's search for new site

DEVELOPERS working for Tesco have been scouring Uckfield for the past seven years for a suitable site for a new and bigger store and each option considered to date has been ruled out before being made public.

DEVELOPERS working for Tesco have been scouring Uckfield for the past seven years for a suitable site for a new and bigger store and each option considered to date has been ruled out before being made public.

But now a major debate is under way because the developers think they have identified an ideal site a controversial one right in the centre of town on the Luxford Field and adjoining car park.

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It was a chance remark from Cllr Mike Skinner who stood down as Mayor last week following last year s disastrous floods that led to this site being considered. He suggested then that a solution to limit future damage was to move the town centre further up the High Street.

The developers immediately whirred into action and have been honing a scheme which could change the face of the town within four years. Incredible to think that 25 years ago when Tesco was considering opening its first store their big question was Is the town big enough?

Mr Christopher Borkowski, who works for the developers, told Uckfield town councillors that he remembered the question being asked. He said that since then Tesco had been quite a positive addition to the town which had grown in size and importance.

He told how the hunt for a new site had encompassed the Somerfield supermarket and land behind it but been ruled out because of access problems. The developers had also looked at the industrial estate where Halfords and McDonald s are now but that was ruled out because, even if the principle of building within the flood plain had been accepted, it was feared a supermarket there would pull the town in different ways.

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The developers even considered expanding the store on to the Holy Cross School playing field but that would have caused a lot of upset, he said.

Finally they looked at the Luxford Field and car parks and broached the subject with Tesco who immediately said: You could never do it. It is impossible for our customers because this is a mountainside. But if you do find a technical solution we could be interested.

Now a technical solution has been found by digging into the hill and levelling a site to correspond with the level the Civic Centre sits on.

The other problem stalling development was the road system. That does limit what we do because without easy access whatever we do we will not appeal to customers if they can t get into town, said Mr Borkowski. This is why the developers have drawn up proposals for a new one-way system in town.