The officers are recommending granting planning permission although the decision will be made by the elected councillors on 30th August.

The report from officers can be read at http://councilmeetings.lewisham.gov.uk/d...20Park.pdf

good stuff. nice that there will be bike racks.

Fingers crossed that this doesn't go the other way at the committee meeting. The Councillor that chaired the consultation session certainly seemed to be biased against the proposals!

I like that the planners make clear in their report what is and isn't a planning issue. Some may not like Sainsbury's or the change of use from restaurant to retail but the report highlights that this is not relevant under planning law.

To draw a parallel with Domino's... many objected to their application on the fact that we didn't like Domino's but it came down to planning law and the appropriateness of the requested change of use and delivery plans.

So any bias one way or the other in the mind of councillors, the planning committee or planning officers should, in theory, be irrelevant.

Reading the report gives me a new found respect for the work of the planners. It's a thankless task I'm sure and I've no idea how they keep all this policy information in their minds.

I agree, there seems to be a vast amount for planners to consider to produce a report such as this. As far as I can see in the report there are no open questions or grounds for refusal at the meeting.

Exactly; a point I made at the community consultation meeting. People who really want to object need to be constructive, read up on actual planning issues and present these in a manner consistent with a formal objection or it simply won’t hold any water. Ranting at the council members about Sainsbury’s being an objectionable and evil multinational entity (as one chap did for about 20 minutes) is just a waste of everyone's time.

Shh Bcm, don't give the objectors any good ideas!!!!

I hope that the Sainsbury's bid is successful - I think we need to move with the times and accept this is 2012. I have lived here since 1998 and am fed up of having to forward-plan my evening meals at work and buy my dinner in town because I know that once I step off the train at HOP I am faced with tins, packets or frozen meals from the frankly less than adequate local stores.
To be able to buy fresh fruit, vegetables, bread and some decent meat/fish without having to treck all the way to Budgens and back will be a delight finally!

I for one vote YES YES YES!

Cheeky, you say that almost half the premises are empty on the Honor Oak Park shopping parade? Huh? When did you last walk down it? Yes, the Whitewood Shop, the Tandoori restaurant, the Old Bank and Linda's pet shop are currently vacant. But, we have the cycle shop, the florist, Hopscotch cafe, Barbaros the hairdressers, Gogi's Off-licence, several mini-supermarkets, the fish and chip shop, the Golden Tiger Chinese takeaway, pizza takeaway, dry-cleaners, art gallery, newsagent, delicatessen, estate agents, tapas bar (refurbished), funeral parlour, dental lab, Jumping Bean gift shop and Neroli beauty shop. That's quite a diverse spread. We need fresh meat and fish on the parade, and if a major player like Sainsbury's would support a really small, in-scale unit opening late and selling these along with some fruit, veg, cheese, good tea and coffee - like a grocers shop - it could bring a lot of people in but keep our existing traders. If this big local goes through, carrying a big range of lines, I would worry that besides the loss of sales, shop rental prices will rise dramatically and force existing small traders out. A lot of this is covered in principle by the London Plan, to which our council signed up in July 2011.

Well the waiting game will be over as the decision is being made tonight. Is anyone going along to the meeting?

Why is Stone Bar always missed off lists of shops on HOP parade? its very strange http://londonist.com/2011/03/hand-drawn-...k-park.php

They do decent food and is a decent bar however always seems forgotten

For me the discussion is over, the decision will go for Sainsbury's. The objections have been dealt with.

The shops will adapt to sell what Sainsbury's won't. Sainsbury's is quite limited, it does not carry a lot of stuff I want to buy from spices through to decent bread and meat. They will benefit from extra people passing by after buying the basics at Sainsbury's.

It's all going to work out well for HOP.

Lets start discussing real issues like the other empty shops.

I'm planning (if you'll excuse the pun) to go along to this evening's meeting to listen to the decision and report back.

The verdict is in from the planning committee and the decision is to approve the planning application.

Nice one!

Fantastic news. Thank you for reporting back.

Brilliant news. Any ideas on when it will be open for business? Given the extent of the planned works, probably not until next year some time?

Thanks Michael, Overall i think it will be good for the parade in terms of footfall. It is up to all of us to support the other businesses on the parade - hopefully they will diversify and offer something different.

On balance, good news. A small Sainsbury really won't offer a huge range of fresh meat/chicken (and it won't be Hills/Parkes quality!) but it will be consistent. Other parades live with small Tesco/Sainsbury outlets (think Tesco/Kirkdale and even Penge), so will HoP. And if it has a free to use ATM all the better.

YEEEEEEEEEHAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!