The Lincolnshire Guide > News > Shopping centre plans demonstrate more confidence in Gainsborough

Shopping centre plans demonstrate more confidence in Gainsborough

Plans for a local shopping centre including a convenience food store in Gainsborough have been approved by West Lindsey District Council.

Applicants Tillbridge Developments and Thonock and Somerby Estates have got the green light to develop a former commercial site that has now been cleared off Corringham Road close to the Trent Valley Academy and opposite a modern housing estate.

A food store will be the main building on the site and there will also be five other units and parking for 33 customers and 10 staff.

Leader of the Council, Councilllor Burt Keimach said: "At a time when development throughout the country is still largely stalled as a result of the recession, this is another massive vote of confidence in the future of Gainsborough. It is vitally important that the largest town in West Lindsey will now act as a focal point to create jobs for the entire district that will benefit many families in all our communities.

"The fact that the town has Growth Point Status which will see Gainsborough double in size in the next 20 years will continue to make the area attractive to investors and I look forward to seeing more schemes like this which will ultimately benefit the whole district."

A report from planners warned of the need to protect the viability of the town centre from out of town developments, but approval came after a study calculated the catchment area for the Tillbridge development as being from the railway and The Avenue in the west, to the A631 in the east and from The Belt in the north through to Whites Wood Lane in the south.

Councilllor Keimach said: "Properties in this area are within a 15 minute walk of the site which is the accepted guide. There are currently no convenience outlets in the main catchment area so as well as being a good new facility for local people, I think this scheme will also be well placed to serve new development planned for the area."

Permission has been granted subject to conditions including layout and design of an access road, landscaping and approval of a drainage system.

A spokesman for West Lindsey District Council's planning department confirmed that a second application, from a company called Morbaine in Cheshire, had been submitted for a site also at Corringham Road.  During pre-application discussions, Morbaine had been told that officers felt that the scale of their application was too large, but they applied anyway and the scheme was refused.  The latest position is that a written request has been received from a ward councillor that the new application should be reported to the planning committee rather than be dealt with by officers under delegated powers.

If this course of action is agreed the earliest date the councillors could consider it would be the July meeting. An objection has been received to this second application from Marshall's Yard.  The Council stressed that the authority needed to be sure that the scale of the development was in line with the local neighbourhood it would serve and that it would not have a negative impact on the town centre.

Article Published: 11/06/2010

Latest News

• Lincolnshire pips Cornwall to be crowned Britains favourite food spot
• Skegness 4th most popular UK holiday destination
• Switch on success in Mablethorpe as thousands turn out
• Over 46,000 people descend on Skegness for SO Festival 2011
• Touring caravan consultation underway

• Spilsby Show This Weekend
• Lincolnshire road closed after package found
• LIncolnshire Guide Is Changing
• Festival Line Up Is SO Exciting
• RNLI lifeguards prepare to begin their summer patrols on beaches