Decision Day Looming for Streatham Hub

THE future of a controversial plan to build a new supermarket, leisure centre and ice rink in a borough is expected to be decided next week.

The board of Tesco is scheduled to meet on Wednesday, March 17, to decide the fate of the multimillion Streatham Hub project.

Lambeth council entered into a deal with Tesco in 2007 to build a supermarket, leisure centre, ice rink and social housing on Streatham High Road.

But the project has been dogged by delays with the council and the retail giant unable to agree just what will be built.

The collapse in the housing market and the recession have seen Tesco revise its plans – but what it proposes to offer Lambeth has not been made public.

In the meantime, the Labour-run council has closed the current Streatham Leisure Centre because the crumbling building is unsafe.

Last month dozens of frustrated residents staged an hour-long demonstration outside Tesco Express in Streatham High Road.

A council spokesman said the town hall was hopeful Tesco would honour the deal.

He said: “We know how important the ice rink is to residents of Streatham and Lambeth and how desperately we need a new rink to replace the existing tired facility.

“We have had positive discussions with Tesco and are negotiating to ensure there is continuity of ice skating while redevelopment work takes place.

“This deal is very important to Streatham – it could breathe new life into the area with its provision of new shops, affordable housing and, most importantly a modern well equipped leisure centre with a new ice rink.”

A Tesco spokesman said the firm were still committed to the project.

Article originally featured on www.southlondonpress.co.uk