Traders & Residents Against Sainsburys Horfield – TRASH

Campaigners granted Judicial Review of the planning permission allowing Sainsbury’s to develop the Memorial Ground

TRASHorfield Ltd is pleased to announce that the claim for a Judicial Review of Bristol City Council’s decision to grant planning permission for Sainsbury’s at the Memorial Ground has been granted. The Review has been granted on 2 grounds.  Firstly, the Council considered a retail mitigation proposal as a material consideration to offset the accepted significant retail impact caused by the development.  The Council had been advised that this package could not be considered as material and with nothing else to offset the significant retail impact should then have rejected the application.  The second ground concerns the misrepresentation of the advice the council received from their retail consultant on the retail impact of this development.

Diana Scrafton of TRASHorfield Ltd said, “As a group we have been incredibly heartened by the support we have received from the local community.  Donations continue to come in and we have already raised over £16,000 towards legal costs including the £10,000 protective costs order which we will be required to pay Bristol City Council should the review not be found in our favour. The fact that so many people have donated from their own pockets clearly demonstrates how strongly opposed the local community is to having a Goliath supermarket on this historic World War Memorial site.  The Judicial Review is an important part of our democratic system that can help to ensure that important decisions are taken properly and we are grateful to have this decision scrutinised.”

Tom Kennedy of TRASHorfield said, “We want to support Rovers’ drive for a stadium but not at the expense of the local high street and the disastrous traffic impact.  The present application is so far from fair to the community that it seems it has broken the law.  The community is already starting to put together more appropriate developments, including alternative sporting facilities, much needed schools and housing that could assist Rovers with their new stadium – Rovers should talk to the local community and together we can find a proposal with which Bristol can move forward.”