Elderly residents in Birkdale are living in fear of being overrun with dangerous traffic when the new Aldi store opens.
OTS News has been contacted by elderly people who live in flats near the Liverpool Road development and they say it will cause safety issues when they want to cross the road.
One resident said “I and a lot of other residents have our concerns that when the new store opens it will greatly increase traffic along Liverpool Road and this would make it very difficult to cross the road safely going to the bus stop opposite Bedford Rd or even to go the store.
The main reason being a lot of us are not as quick on our feet, have to use either walking frames etc and some have poor sight.
I know there is an island opposite Tesco but that won’t be sufficient as we have to wait for cars to slow down or stop and with the increase of cars behind this will probably not happen so ideally there needs to be a proper crossing (maybe closer to Bedford Rd so we don’t have to judge when it’s safe to cross.
Also another concern a lot of children going to CTK have to cross that road when getting off the bus and as a Nan that worries me too as usually Liverpool Rd is not that busy but that will soon change.”
Birkdale Trading Estate tenants treated “SHABBILY” over ALDI decision, says Cllr Simon Shaw
Birkdale Trading Estate tenants treated “SHABBILY” over ALDI decision, says Cllr Simon Shaw
Sefton Council’s Planning Committee earlier this month granted permission to Aldi to develop their second store in Southport on the site of the Birkdale Trading Estate on Liverpool Road, between Richmond Road and St John’s Road.
As part of the decision Aldi have agreed to pay the Council £723,000 to provide replacement business unit floorspace at Southport Business Park, but it will be some years before this would be available.
However Birkdale Lib Dem councillor Simon Shaw, who has dealt with a number of businesses who were formerly on the Trading Estate, claims they have suffered a “raw deal” in having to relocate at their own expense.
“I think that the businesses that used to be here have been treated shabbily. They had a reasonable expectation of being able to carry on without being forced off. After all, this was land was zoned as a trading estate and this was confirmed in the recent Local Plan process, which included a lengthy Public Enquiry,” said Cllr Shaw.
“Some businesses, especially those involved in light engineering, have been facing significant costs in relocating – effectively through no fault of their own.”
“That’s why, before the Planning Committee came to its decision I asked Sefton’s Chief Planning Officer whether a small part of the £723,000 that Sefton Council is receiving from Aldi couldn’t be used to provide some modest compensation to those traders suffering from exceptional relocation costs. Unfortunately I was told that normally wasn’t possible.”
“Overall I think many of the traders have received a raw deal.”
Cllr Shaw points out that the Chief Planning Officer’s report includes the following comment:
“The importance of the Birkdale Trading Estate was recognised by the Local Plan Inspector at the examination hearings prior to the adoption of the Local Plan. Similarly, the Local Plan Inspector’s supportive findings regarding this protection of this site are very important. Accordingly, these factors add great weight to ensure the site’s protection for business uses” but then it goes on to conclude that “the Chief Planning Officer accepts that the loss of the Birkdale Trading Estate is satisfactorily balanced by the offer of a commuted sum payment by the applicant of £723,000.”
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