Pressure grows against plans to demolish B&Q
STRATFORD District Council is being urged to ensure that do-it-yourself retail facilities are provided in Stratford following the impending demolition of the B&Q store at the Maybird Centre.
Last month the council’s west area planning committee approved proposals to demolish the B&Q building and replace it with three new retail outlets.
The Capital Hill Partnership – a pension fund that owns the Maybird site – has argued that the work was needed to bring that end of the retail park up to the same standard as the rest of the units.
The company said the new scheme could create around 100 jobs but pointed out that no retailers had yet been lined up to occupy the new premises.
B&Q itself has consistently opposed the demolition plans and so have others, who’re asking why the building is being removed after the other DIY store in the town, Homebase, was closed in 2014.
Their feelings have now been echoed by Stratford district councillors Peter Barnes (Ind, Welford) and Peter Moorse (Lib Dem, Hathaway), who’ve presented a motion for the next full meeting of the council on 24th October.
Their motion states: “This council’s core strategy recognises Stratford-upon-Avon as a shopping centre of sub-regional importance.
Council notes with concern the possible closure of the last major do-it-yourself store in the town. Such a closure would have significant ‘sustainability’ issues, with residents having to travel substantial distances to find similar retail offers.”
The motion adds that the core strategy states: “The site allocations development plan document will identify sites for large-scale retail development based on the justification for such provision to be made in specific locations.
“Council believes that a do-it-yourself store is an important component of any shopping centre of sub-regional importance and requests that suitable sites for such a store - with the customer parking that such businesses require - are identified with urgency and, if necessary, without waiting for the completion of the main site allocations plan.”
