Cllr Pop Jolley
Now Pop Jolley dragged into ‘supermarket-gate’ as Harrier claim he colluded with rival to scupper Chatteris Tesco
By John Elworthy , The Editor
Thursday, October 11, 2012
8:21 PM
MANEA based property developers Harrier Developments claimed tonight that Fenland Cabinet member and millionaire property developer Pop Jolley tried to scupper their plans for a supermarket in Chatteris.
The sensational allegations were made public by Liz Dent of ICIS Consulting, the associated company also run from the Day Lode Road, Manea, home of Harrier’s boss Richard Sears.
Ms Dent first raised her fears in September in a letter sent to Ian Hunt, chief solicitor to Fenland District Council and following my report of a special Cabinet meeting called to discuss what’s become known locally as ‘supermarket-gate’.
Harrier Developments won permission for a Chatteris supermarket – ironically after a planning meeting at which Council Leader Alan Melton spoke out in support as a local ward member,
But Ms Dent says their efforts were frustrated by Councillor Pop Jolley who they allege had teamed up with rival developer Bruce Smith – the man behind Sainsbury’s Whittlesey store bid- to scupper Harrier’s scheme.
Of a planned Cabinet meeting to discuss options for Whittlesey, Ms Dent wrote at the time to Mr Hunt that “we wish to express our concerns to the appropriateness of Cllr Jolley attending and participating in such a meeting as we feel that he cannot be viewed as an impartial observer”.
Ms Dent adds: “We do feel it appropriate to highlight that Cllr Jolley is known to us as a business associate of Mr Smith of Whitacre Management”.
ICIS acted for Harrier in acquiring the land at Fenland Way for which planning consent was later agreed for a Tesco store and Travis Perkins builders’ merchant, she said.
“One of the landowners with whom Harried acquired a land interest from was Mr Stephen James,” said Ms Dent.
“During my dealings with Mr James in early 2011, Mr Smith and Cllr Jolley both made direct approaches to Mr James to acquire his land. Mr James is willing is willing to verify this”.
She added that both Cllr Jolley and Mr Smith put forward business proposals to Chatteris Cricket Club to develop their site.
In her letter Ms Dent concludes her intention is simply to “bring awareness to your council of the business relationship between Mr Smith and Cllr Jolley. Whilst we are unaware if Cllr Jolley’s business relationship includes the proposals at Whittlesey, it is the case that they were business associates in relation to the land at Chatteris in 2011.
“We hope that your council will take these matters into consideration.”
Mr Smith tonight dismissed the allegations but did agree he had been approached by “a local electrician I think who reckoned he had been offered £750,000 for his land by Mr Sears and did I want to better it. I politely told him where to go but wished him luck in getting his money.”
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10 comments
I am no TESCO fan I don't want a store in Whittlesey full stop but the facts are the facts I agree the town folk of Whittlesey should have been informed about the content of the second planning meeting but this is all down to Cllr Curtis having historic issues with the Sears family he has taken it upon himself to give the Whittlesey folk the idea that they have a choice in food store but this is misguided information & Cllr curtis knows better then to lead people on in this way this planning is about 'Planning' highways & road capacity & much more it is about legal aspects of planning why do you think we have FDC officers recommendations? This is not about where the public want to buy their milk, Cllr curtis used us to vent is revenge on Harrier Developments & it has left us all in a bad mess it is the right decision he has been sacked.
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FenlandTrev
Friday, October 12, 2012
Whittlesey councillors, Martin Curtis included, should say exactly why the original town centre application was turned down and the untenable site on Station Road was mysteriously forced through. This was the beginning of the fiasco we now must pay for. Martin Curtis has no right to be playing the local hero now. He is in part responsible for the whole mess. The town centre application should be the starting point for any investigation.
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Lewie
Friday, October 12, 2012
Bruce Smith, Pop Jolley,what fine upstanding ethical members of the local community. Time to dish the dirt.
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Sniffer
Friday, October 12, 2012
Why am I not surprised at all this?
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Sniffer
Friday, October 12, 2012
Well Fenland Trev, nice to see you have such a high opinion of the people of Whittlesey! I assume that you are one of the "Tesco rules" brigade and that as such, the will of the people (who elect persons such as Cllrs French, Melton etc.) is to be ignored completely? Oh that's right, it falls under planning law - which (as I understand it) includes procedures like "When a public consulatation has been held, if further meetings are to be held then the public must be made aware of them" - which of course the good Councillors at our corrupt FDC did of course!! That's why the entire planning committe are being sacked sent for "re-training" (which I assume means "Tesco Good all other supermarkets bad"? Incidentally, since Harrier Developments Tesco STILL have planning permission in Station Road (and they are apparently so desperate to build a superstore in Whittlesey), why are they not building it immediately?
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IanF
Friday, October 12, 2012
Ha! Pop Jolley - you could not make this up! They are all at it making money hand over fist at the taxpayers expense. Every council in every county. The rich get richer and we get left will the bills. However their greed and in fighting seems to be on the brink of exposing their little get richer scams! I hope they all get it right up em!
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FingerofFudge
Friday, October 12, 2012
Ha! Pop Jolley - you could not make this up! They are all at it making money hand over fist at the taxpayers expense. Every council in every county. The rich get richer and we get left will the bills. However their greed and in fighting seems to be on the brink of exposing their little get richer scams! I hope they all get it right up em!
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FingerofFudge
Friday, October 12, 2012
S.Kirby If as you say there are issues with Harrier why have they not got permission YET for a store on Eastra Road? looks to me that they are also being messed around in all of this, This is all hyped up frenzy stampeding of the sheep of Whittlesey. Lets get it right Planning issues have rules and they must be abided despite what the public want.
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FenlandTrev
Friday, October 12, 2012
S.Kirby If as you say there are issues with Harrier why have they not got permission YET for a store on Eastra Road? looks to me that they are also being messed around in all of this, This is all hyped up frenzy stampeding of the sheep of Whittlesey. Lets get it right Planning issues have rules and they must be abided despite what the public want.
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FenlandTrev
Friday, October 12, 2012
Nobody in Chatteris wanted a Tesco anyway, a Morrisons, or Asda, maybe, but another Tesco? And there ARE issues with Harrier: they have fingers in every planning pie throughout Fenland, I for one would be glad if they were investigated along with FDC. They certainly have enough links with town council and FDC members.
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S.Kirby
Friday, October 12, 2012