The plans have been unveiled for a former garden centre which closed last year.
David Thompson, 63, who purchased Mill Race Garden Centre in Aldham, previously said he has ambitions to see businesses, a café, padel courts and nursery on the site.
An application has been submitted to Colchester City Council from the founder of Willow Park Group seeking permission to change the use of land to create a mixed-use community venue.
David Thompson of Willow Park Group at the former Mill Race Garden Centre at Aldham, Colchester (Image: Sarah Chambers)
According to the planning statement, the proposal aims to evolve the site from a traditional retail garden centre into a “flexible destination” where people can meet, work, shop, dine, and engage in cultural and creative activities.
The plans make use of existing buildings and involve internal alterations only, meaning there would be no material changes to the external appearance of the site.
The applicant’s vision is to create a “genuine community hub” – a place that supports local enterprise, creates jobs, and offers residents and visitors a new space to spend time.
If approved, the development would “transform and enhance Mill Race” by establishing a mixed-use facility designed to “diversify the rural economy” and attract new leisure and creative businesses to the area.
Plans have been submitted to change the use of Mill Race Garden Centre (Image: NQ)
Proposed facilities include a 176 sq m gallery and exhibition space, 65 sq m of office accommodation for venue management staff, a 62 sq m co-working office for small enterprises, and a 62 sq m retail space.
An independent café and restaurant (156 sq m) is also planned, alongside washroom facilities, storage and plant areas. The venue would open daily from 8am to 10pm.
The site would retain its existing 30 parking spaces, with no additional spaces proposed.
The planning statement adds that the project “reuses an existing building on a long-standing commercial site, safeguards and enhances employment provision, and delivers substantial economic, cultural and social benefits.” It also states there would be “no external changes, no identified harm to landscape character, and no unacceptable transport impacts.”
Colchester Council has yet to make a decision on the application.
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