PlanningApplication Reference:08/00001/HYB.PlanningInspecto~ateReference:AAP/V430S/V/OS/1203375. ApplicationbyTescoStoresLtdandEverton

A.F.e.

formixeduseddevelopmentincludinganewfootballstadium,convenienceandretailstores,res

den't

LaL

andleisureusesonlanddesignatedValleyRoad, Kirkby.ClosingStatementofThomasBVNorman ,onbem.alfof KirkbyTradersAssociation. February2009.

1.0.Introduction.Thisclosingstatementis

summaryoftheKirkbyTraders Association(KTE)ProofofEvidence. However,itwillalsohighlight,briefly,variousevidential itemswhichhavearisenduringthePublicInquiryandwhich areofdirectconcerntotheKTAintermsoftheaff~etthat thiswillhaveontheirfuturesustainabilityandexistence. AtalltimesthisstatementwillbefocussedontheTermsofReferenceenunciatedbytheMinisterofStatewhenestablishing thePublicInquiry.

2.0.

Isthereaneedforadeve~opmentofthismagnitude?

2.1.30

yearsofneglect,fromonesourceoranother,hasdown--gradedtheshop~premisesinKirkbyTownCentre.Contrarytopopularopinion,KirkbyTownCentreisanattractivepropositiontoShoppers,duemainlytothebonhommieofallTraderswiththeirCustomers.Recently.

openedintheTownCentre,whichishardlyasignthattheTownCentreisinterminaldecline.2.2.Thereason,advance~ByKnowsleyMBC.,TescoandEverton,for thisdevelopmentistoregeneratetheTownCentretomeettheneedsof

41,500

Residents.Tomeetthiscriterionitisnotnecessarytobuilda

50,000

seaterStadium,a

200,000

sq.ft.Storeand!millionsq.ft.ofretailspacehousing

units.AlltheResidentsneedisa

50,000

sq.ft.StorelocatedinthepresentTownCentretogetherwithrefurbishmentoftheexistingsh~ps.Allofthiscoulabeachievedatafractionoftheproposed

£400

millioninvestment,andwouldbewelcomedbyResidentsandTraders.Regrettably,th~:-0 proposeddevelopmenthasbeenevolvedtomeetthemarketambitionsofTesco'sBoardofDirectorsanditsCEOtogetherwiththeShareprice/dividendinterestsoftheShareholders.