Wrexham foodstore given green light
Capital & Centric has been granted planning permission to build a 46,000 sq ft foodstore in Ruabon, South Wrexham.
An operator hasn't yet been named for the store, which sits between the towns of Ruabon, Johnstown and Rhos.
In 2009 Sainsbury's unsuccessfully sought planning permission to build a 53,000 sq ft store on another site in the town, which is currently not represented by any of the large supermarkets.
This is Capital & Centric's second foodstore consent in three months. The Manchester-based company also competition from Tesco for a 36,000 sq ft foodstore consent in Barnoldswick, Lancashire, in November 2012.
Adam Higgins, director of Capital & Centric, said: "There are 29,000 people living within the catchment area for this foodstore site, the vast majority of which are currently undertaking a 12-mile round trip to food shop in Wrexham. This store will keep people in the town."
Of over 400 local people surveyed during the planning process, 93% were in favour of a new foodstore.
The application received one objection from Morrisons. Its nearest store is in central Wrexham.
The planning application was submitted in April 2012. Wrexham County Council granted planning on 4 February 2013 following a positive recommendation to grant.
The council's planning officers and committee accepted that without a modern larger format foodstore currently, the town has available convenience expenditure of over £41m a year, the majority of which is lost to Wrexham.
NJL Planning assisted on planning and AEW Architects was engaged on the design aspects of the application.
Cllr David Bithell, local member for Johnstown said: "Work on this planning application has been ongoing for over 12 months. The decision, which will see the creation of new jobs both in the construction industry and in a new store, must be welcomed given the current economic climate.
"There are a number of planning conditions taking on board parking issues and traffic at the busy junction and I will make sure these are implemented."
