Tesco plans new supermarket within walking distance of University of York

Tesco is exploring plans to open a new supermarket on Hull Road.

The proposed site is less than a mile from Campus East.

Some local business owners fear it could cause major traffic problems.

A new Tesco supermarket could open near the University of York, potentially becoming the closest large grocery store for students living on Campus East.

The supermarket is exploring plans to move onto the current B&Q site on Hull Road, sharing the space with the DIY store rather than replacing it.

If the project goes ahead, it would create a large new food retail store within walking distance of thousands of students.

What the plans involve

A pre-application document submitted to City of York Council outlines plans to split the existing site between B&Q and the proposed supermarket.

Under the proposal B&Q would remain on the site but with a smaller store, and around 57 new jobs would be created.

The proposed store would be located at the corner of Hull Road and Osbaldwick Link Road, less than a mile from Campus East.

At the moment, the nearest supermarkets for many University of York students are the Aldi at Fulford Road or Morrisons at Foss Islands.

Developers say the area currently has around 27,000 residents without easy access to a large grocery store, alongside thousands of university students and staff.

They argue the new store would help meet the demand from both the local community and nearby housing developments planned for the area.

The site’s owners, Legal & General, have launched a public consultation about bringing a supermarket to the location.

Although Tesco has not been officially named in the consultation materials, documents submitted to the council show the retailer as the proposed operator.

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‘It’s another nail in the coffin for the city centre’

Not everyone is convinced the plan is a good idea.

Graham Kennedy, who runs Inner Space Stations on Hull Road, said he believed the supermarket could cause severe congestion in the area.

Speaking to York Mix, he said: “The amount of traffic it would generate would just screw up the road. It would be like Fulford Road – totally awful.”

Graham said the traffic was already heavy at peak times and warned a supermarket could make the situation worse.

“The road is so busy at teatime. So you get a supermarket in there, you block the road right back to the roundabout and create accidents because people can’t get round,” he said.

Concerned about the impact on smaller businesses in the area, Graham said: “It’s kind of an unwritten rule – for every job that a supermarket creates, they take three away from local business,”

He added that nearby shops could be affected if the new supermarket attracts more customers away from smaller retailers.

“It should be obvious that this isn’t good for either traders in the area of for the city centre – it’s another nail in the coffin for the city centre,” he said.

At this stage, the proposal is only an outline submission.

If Tesco decides to move forward, a full planning application would need to be submitted, including assessments of traffic and noise impacts.

Local residents, businesses and students would then have the opportunity to comment before the council makes a final decision.

Featured image via Google Maps