Cheshire West and Chester Council’s planning committee meets on Tuesday where it is expected to rubber-stamp bulldozing Weaver Vale Garden Centre on Winnington Lane to make way for an entirely new building.
The new building would include a garden centre shop, restaurant, covered outdoor display area, outdoor sales area, new warehouse and an extension to parking and service yard areas.
The proposals submitted by Klondyke Strikes Garden Centres also include the widening of existing access, external lighting, electric vehicle charging points and cycle storage.
The plans said it would safeguard existing jobs and create a further 47 roles.
Some objections had been received raising issues such as fears over light pollution and disruption caused by HGV deliveries.
A planning document submitted by the applicant said: “Weaver Vale was purchased in 2006 and was operated as a garden centre for many
years before that.
“The site is a well established local business, offering a range of products including plants, garden sundries and tools, garden furniture, outdoor clothing and a small range of gift and homewares. The site also includes a coffee shop offering breakfast, lunches, snacks and drinks.”
But it said the existing buildings had become worn over time and had started to become no longer fit for purpose.
It added: “The fact that the site has developed over time in a piecemeal fashion has also resulted in inefficiencies in the current layout. Works are required in order for the site to keep up with its competitors and meet the changing needs of today’s garden centre customers.”
The application said customer expectations of garden centres had also changed over the years.
It added: “Whereas previously customers would accept simple standards, much improved facilities of extremely high standards are setting the pace and garden centres are expected to be clean, bright and professionally run from a high quality retail environment that customers can enjoy all year round.”
It added: “Today’s customer not only expects a quality retail environment they also expect, as a result of precedent from the larger centres, a wide range
of products.”
Recommending the committee back the scheme, a planning officer’s report concluded: “It is considered reasonable to conclude that the proposal will not undermine the vitality and viability or consumer choice in the town centre or wider retail catchment area.
“It would support the expansion of an established business within the Northwich urban area.”
The committee meets next Tuesday, December 2, at Ellesmere Port Library.
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