Dear Ed, THE people of Bow now have another opportunity to make their voice heard on the plans for the former Safeway site in Roman Road, following deferrals, revisions, an approval and lots of general deliberation. Despite hollow claims from Tower Hamlets Labour councillors that this plan delivers’ a new supermarket, the fact is it will only provide a glorified corner shop’

Dear Ed,

THE people of Bow now have another opportunity to make their voice heard on the plans for the former Safeway site in Roman Road, following deferrals, revisions, an approval and lots of general deliberation.

Despite hollow claims from Tower Hamlets Labour councillors that this plan 'delivers' a new supermarket, the fact is it will only provide a glorified 'corner shop' as part of a high and dense residential scheme that will decimate parking spaces.

This plan signals a shift in the future of Roman Road away from a local retail and commercial centre, towards becoming just another part of the Labour 'Kwik-Save' Master Plan for Tower Hamlets, where they'll be piling them high and selling them not-so-cheap.

This issue is beyond party politics. I would applaud Labour councillors if they returned to the drawing board and set about creating a long-term planning framework for Roman Road, to create a town centre to be proud of.

If not, then it is up to people to make their voices heard again and send a clear message to the Town Hall that Bow has a fantastic future, but only if Tower Hamlets Council starts to work with the people, not against them.

Cllr Phil Briscoe

Conservative Spokesman on Crime Reduction

Tower Hamlets Council

Town Hall, Blackwall