As was said at the very first meeting held in the Park, when too many people turned up for the Area Committee meeting. Any decision taken on a new supermarket in Marple would not be initially considered by the Area Committee but would be considered by the Council Executive. That is what is happening and that I believe is what MIA have said right from the beginning.
This assertion is not quite right but it is petulant to debate whether MIA was right or wrong . MIA is nought but a bit player in this.
There are two separate issues here; Hibbert Lane, site and Chadwick St, site.
Hibbert Lane: This site we are told has been sold to Asda although we do not know under what conditions. If and when Asda put in a planning application then that application
will initially come before the Area Committee (AC). The Executive
will not be involved. If the planning application is rejected by SMBC's planning dept and this rejection is in turn supported by AC with no referral to Highways and Planning Committee, then that can be seen as fulfilling Council protocol and can be presented as the Council's decision on that particular, planning application. This of course does not prevent the applicant from using appeal protocols. However, whatever protocols, appeals are taken up
the Council Executive is not involved Chadwick Street Site: MIA knew nothing of this at the time of the "meeting in the park". It was months later before that site was even marketed. This was a strategy developed by Marple Councillors (and it has to be said that it is a cunning plan) its aim to ultimately prevent the construction of a supermarket on Hibbert Lane site. MIA were in total ignorance of this plan until they were informed along wiith everybody else that it had actually been implemented, by placing Chadwick St car-park for sale. Even then they didn't guess the possible outcome.
Because Chadwick street car-park and immediate environs are actually owned by the Council then only the Executive can make a decision as to whom it can be sold - if at all.
That is the reason for the convention of the Executive later this month, to decide this.
If it is decided that Chadwick Street can be sold and let's say that is Waitrose (speculation) then this will slice Asda's appeal grounds for Hibbert Lane off at the legs.
Current Score; Marple Councillors 3, Asda 0, MIA, watching from the touchline.