New Marks and Spencer and drive-thru Greggs to open at West Midlands retail park with town in 'fragile state'
Plans to expand a retail park in the West Midlands which will include a new Marks and Spencer store has been given the green light by councillors.
The scheme will see the development of eight new units and will include a new sports pitch, vegetable patch and a new bowling facility.
The plans for Shobnall retail park in Burton will make use of underdeveloped land near the existing B&Q and Burger King. Once completed the development will see a new drive-thru Greggs, a Jolleys pet food store and a 24 lane Tenpin bowling venue.
The development will add an additional 400 car parking spaces to the site which will take the total to more than 700. It is expected that the development will create 150 new full and part time jobs. New pedestrian and cycle links are also expected to connect the retail area and Burton town centre.
Planning agent Christopher Timothy, told East Staffordshire Borough Council’s planning committee: “The proposed development will secure a high quality retail, leisure and community development in a location that will facilitate the use of sustainable modes of transport. The proposed development would deliver economic benefits in the construction of the development and afterwards increased local spending.”
Philip Marsden, town planning manager for Marks and Spencer added: “The existing store in Coopers Square no longer meets our requirements and that store will close in any event. The Wellington Road site is the only suitable site for us to maintain our presence in the town.
“The new store will showcase the full M&S food range in a modern environment. It will include an in-store bakery, our famous cheese barge and click and collect facilities.”
The new store is set to be three times the size of the Coopers Square store, which Mr Marsden said was a clear sign of confidence in the town. The existing store is expected to close when its current lease expires in 2027.
A report by the applicant estimates that the new shopping area will result in a trade diversion of 43 per cent from existing non-food retailers in the town centre. Planning officers conclude that given the good performance of the town centre the impact would not be substantial.
However, Councillor Mick Huckerby said: “43 per cent of trade lost to those existing currently open shops, I don’t know how the assessment is done because it would seem to me that the economy of Burton is in a quite fragile state.”
The planning committee voted unanimously to approve the application.