New supermarket for Chatteris

12.00.00pm GMT Fri 1st Jan 2010

During the June 2009 County Council election campaign, we were overwhelmed by the number of people telling us how disappointed they were that the application for a major new superstore for Chatteris had been refused by Fenland District Council.

On the doorstep almost everyone told us that they thought that extra choice and local employment would benefit our town. There was outright anger that the Head of Planning at Fenland District Council had claimed that there was 'no demand' for a new supermarket in Chatteris, and frustration that our Conservative councillors had voted it out.

So your Liberal Democrat team put out a card petition form across most of Chatteris and on Election Day collected over 600 signatures. Chris Howes presented these to Fenland District Council in September. There is now a fresh application for a Chatteris supermarket currently lodged at Fenland District Council. Let's hope and trust that this time Fenland District Council listens and doesn't again insist that Chatteris neither needs nor deserves the benefit that such a development can bring.