Green light for new Ulverston outdoor goods store
Last updated at 16:45, Monday, 06 August 2012
PLANNING chiefs have granted permission for plans to open an outdoor goods store and agricultural outlet in a vacant Ulverston building – and Travelodge could be next.
South Lakeland District Council’s planning committee accepted Booths supermarket’s application for alterations to the former Heron Glass premises, in Oubas Hill, which closed in December 2009.
One section will be occupied by West Cumberland Farmers, which will relocate from Lindal, with a garden centre added to the south of the building.
Another will be filled by Mountain Warehouse, which specialises in outdoor and camping goods.
Together, the two companies will create 14 full-time and six part-time jobs.
The third space will be for office or light industrial use, but a company has yet to be secured to fill it.
Ever since the plans were first lodged, the site layout also made reference to a Travelodge on land between the former Heron Glass building and the canal, but the hotel was not formally part of the application.
But the report for the meeting hinted Travelodge may soon make its move.
It said: “It is understood the applicants intend to submit a separate application for the construction of a hotel on this site at some time in the future.”
The applicant’s statement in the report claimed there were no other suitable sites and that the scheme would not harm existing businesses.
It said: “There are no sequentially preferable sites which are suitable, viable or available for the development.
“The development would have a modest effect upon shopping patterns and would not have a detrimental impact on Ulverston town centre.
“It will enhance consumer choice within the town and the overall benefits of the proposal would outweigh the retention of the units for employment use.”
First published at 09:57, Monday, 06 August 2012
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk
I think competition is healthy, but I find some of these comments quite upsetting. I pride myself with shopping locally and have done for years. My family are walkers and cheered when a local couple opened a much needed outdoor shop. We support them and will carry on doing so. We too missed The Furness Rambler when it shut. Reading some of these comments brings to light that alot of you don't actually shop in Ulverston, or if you do only once or twice a year. If you did you would soon realise as myself and family that you reap the benefits, for example....discounts and excellent customer service and I don't just mean from the Mountain shop but from all shops, market indoor and out.
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Looking forward to a sad empty space being brought to life! However, I really wish people would come together and try to think of a better way to bring Ulverston town centre back to life. Perhaps if the energies were put into that instead of arguing about supermarkets, we might have a better, more profitable little town.
Posted by Swarthmoor Resident on 13 August 2012 at 21:44