Source: Bristol Evening Post
Page 1
Friday 16th June 2006

SITTING ON A GOLDMINE
by Kirsty Pugh

A businessman who owns a access lane could be sitting on a fortune - due to plans for a controversial new supermarket.

Tim Franklin, The owner of Tim Franklin Pool and Snooker Services, is responsible for the lane at the back of a row of shops, which he says will cut through the proposed store. And he could be sitting on a fortune after a local agent revealed that the land could be worth up to one-third of the price of the land needed for the multimillion pound development.

The new supermarket, which has yet to be given the go-ahead, would be built on the land between Gloucester Road and Ashley Down Road, next to an existing Somerfield supermarket.

Tony Cook, the managing director of Storegap, says the company is aware that there are some access lanes to the back of the shops and will be talking to the owners in due course.

Tim Franklin, who is the landlord of the John Cabot pub, said the developers would be unable to build the new store as his lane cut through the proposed site. However, he said that he would be willing to sell the land - at the right price. He said: "I have owned my shops since 1996 and acquired the lane in 2000. I have been to the Council and got the deeds and can prove this land is mine. The lane will cut straight through the proposed supermarket, so there is no way they can go ahead with the development.

"I cannot believe they have bought all this land, but they have clearly not done their research properly as I am still an important part of it.

"I am not against plans for a new supermarket, as it would not affect me directly, and I would be willing to sell the land if they offer me the right price.

"It just annoys me that they seem to think they will be able to go ahead with their plans, when my property runs straight though where they want to build."

The lane is about 30 feet wide and runs from Merton Road to the back of his snooker supply shop. Surrey based developer Storegap Commercial has bought the site and plans to build a 20,000 sq ft store , about a third of the size of a football pitch - with parking spaces for 180 cars.

No supermarket chains have yet been linked to the venture, but Storegap recently worked with Waitrose. Tesco and Sainsbury's. Mr Cook said: "I am fully aware that there are certain rights of way to the rear of the properties on Gloucester Road.

"As and when the planning process reaches an appropriate stage, I will be talking to the traders about who these rights are maintained within the overall development."

Residents and small shop-owners have often complained about the increase in supermarkets in the area, claiming they increase parking problems and take business away from independent stores.

Gurmit and Baldev Kaila, the owners of Bobby's newsagent in St Andrew's launched a petition against the proposed store. They have already got 1,200 signatures. There will be a public meeting on Wednesday, June 21, at 7.30pm at 12 Derby Road for anyone who is objecting the proposal.

Editors Comment:

Source: Bristol Evening Post. Page 10. 16th June 2006.

Random strip...
Editors: Mike Norton, Rob Stokes, Kevan Blackadder.

Tim Franklin is siTting on a goldmine - and he knows it.

As the owner of a strip of land which runs right across the the site of a planned supermarket he can sit tight and wait for the developers to make him an offer.

Unless they come up with the right figure he can hold onto the land and wreck their scheme. It would be impossible for them to go head with the store unless they can acquire the strip of land which Mr Franklin owns.

Of course the people who live around the site, those who have protested already about the plan and the shopkeepers who face loosing more trade if a supermarket is built would love Mr Franklin to refuse to sell.

But - as he admits - he would hand over the land if he was offered the "right price". And who could blame him? In his position we would be tempted to do exactly the same.

But whatever happens it could well delay the plans.