Dear Mr. Anderson,

We are writing to add our voices to the deeply held concern raised by many others regarding the Princes Road redevelopment and Tesco expansion plans.

Although we live in Canada we have close connections with Wells. We have visited the city at least annually over the past 20 years as one set of parents lived their retirement in Wells. Six of our past twelve months were spent in Wells and we now own property which will be severely impacted by the plans. The property is located at the junction of Princes Road and Tucker Street and our parking space is only accessible through the Tesco parking lot. We are now retired and our intention is to spend several months of each year in Wells, therefore, what happens in Wells is of great importance to us.

We were able to attend one of the Town Hall meetings on the plans in February and since our return to Canada have kept up to date on the proposals, and the reaction to them, through various websites. I have also had several discussions with Centros Miller over the parking access issue.

I must be frank in saying to you that my wife and I were appalled with the proposed redevelopment plans which, in our view, are ill-conceived and represent the worst type of urban planning ideas. We recognise there is a need for Tesco’s to expand their Wells operation to better service the local market but the current location is simply the wrong site to achieve that goal. We feel there are several reasons for this:

-    The negative impact on the existing residential neighbourhood which is already under pressure from constant traffic in and out of the Tesco site.
-    the negative impact on local businesses, especially in the High Street, which cannot help but suffer loss of custom from the sheer size of the Tesco expansion and the related retail development.
-    The growth in vehicular traffic and increased ingress/egress to the existing parking area along roads that are essentially local and residential in nature, and thus not designed or equipped to handle the significantly increased traffic levels that may be expected. There are also a number of senior’s residences in the immediate vicinity of the existing Tesco site and the increased traffic will undoubtedly raise hazard levels for all residents, especially the elderly, as they go about their daily business.
-    The proposed closure of Princes Road will seriously impair traffic patterns within the city. Princes Road is one of the very few lateral access roads available to local residents who wish to do business in the lower part of Wells. Its closure will simply add more traffic to the busy ring road system.
-    The proposed relocation of the bus station, by its very design, effectively promotes ready access to the new retail complex to the detriment of the High Street and its facilities.
-    It may well be that Tesco will, in the future, wish to expand further, particularly with the addition of a petrol station facility. Such an eventuality has to be budgeted for in the land use proposals and the existing site cannot handle them without further negatively impacting the points noted above.
-    The decrease in property values that will occur while building is in progress and the strong likelihood that these will be permanent once the new complex is up and running. What is currently a mixed-use locale will become essentially commercial. The residential component, and the right of residents to quiet enjoyment of their neighbourhood, will vanish.

As mayor of a beautiful city I’m sure you will agree with us that Wells holds a special place in the fabric of England. It is a quintessential, small English country cathedral city that needs to be protected and nurtured. We believe that locating a large supermarket and related retail outlets in the heart of a small, historic city, and thereby creating a major public focus in the same market catchment area, but separate from, the High Street, will have a devastating impact on the essence of what makes Wells the city that it is.

Simply put, this is not the way forward. What is needed is a win-win situation for Wells and Tesco’s. The current proposals are a win-lose situation. Tesco’s wins and the City of Wells, its residents and its countless visitors cannot help but lose.

But not all is lost. We can think of at least two locations which offer scope for a win-win situation given the right political will and foresight. One is the Nutricia site on the Glastonbury Road. The other is the Ticknell property opposite Lidl’s and Travis-Perkins on Strawberry Way. There may be other potential sites on the Ring Road towards Shepton Mallet. These sites all offer vastly superior traffic connectivity for customers and deliveries. There is scope for Tesco’s to develop the sites to their hearts content. It locates the ‘big-box’ retailers to the outskirts of the city where they can properly go about their essential business as a partner of their customers rather than an intruder in their lives. This is not so much NIMBY (not in my back yard) as it is good business, not to say common, sense.  

The current development proposals negatively impact too many people and businesses in a relatively small community for them to be right. It is to be hoped that prudent and sober judgement will prevail and that these ill-conceived and divisive plans will be cast down. We enlist your support in helping to ensure this is the case.


Yours sincerely,



Christopher R. Little
Janice I. Little