Co-op bid background information

Background information to Tesco receiving the green light from Birmingham City Council to develop a major food outlet in Stirchley

March 2002: Helical/Midlands Co-op submit a planning application for a non-food retail development on Hazelwell Lane, Stirchley. (Helical is a development company with whom Midlands Co-op has been working).
July 2003: Tesco submits a planning application for a major food development on the same site.
June 2004: Tesco’s S106 agreement (a section that outlines the developer’s community commitments relating to the planning application) is agreed and Tesco is consequently granted outline planning consent.
2004-February 2006: No communication from City Council to Helical/Midlands Co-op over issue of S106. Midlands Co-op’s legal advisors forced to intervene to request action.
March 2006: Formal negotiations commence on our S106.
July 2006: Formalities on S106 are completed by all parties. S106 agreement expected imminently from Birmingham City Council. This would enable the Helical/Midlands Co-op scheme to be granted outline planning consent.
August 2006: On the eve of reaching resolution on the S106, Tesco’s property advisors contact Birmingham City Council to register objections to our proposals, claiming that the development should be resisted on the grounds of design, noise impact, traffic impact and retail policy grounds – and because Tesco owns a considerable proportion of the development site. We are further accused of putting in an application as a ‘spoiling tactic’ – an interesting comment given that our application was submitted first! Tesco’s property advisors end by suggesting that Birmingham City Council should refuse to grant planning permission to us.
October 2006: Tesco’s agents withdraw their objection. Our S106 is signed. Finally we are on a level playing field with Tesco.
December 2006: Tesco and Helical/Midlands Co-op receive a communication from Birmingham City Council to tender to acquire the land that it owns, to relocate community facilities and to present our respective arguments for regeneration.
April 2007: Deadline for submission of the tender documentation.
Summer 07: Tesco’s outline planning permission gained in 2004 expires and Birmingham City Council seeks views on its renewal.
October 2007: Birmingham City Council confirms that it is its intention, in principle, to select Tesco as the preferred developer.
January 2008: Midlands Co-op still awaits formal feedback from the City Council as to why its bid was unsuccessful.