1:20pm Friday 6th August 2010
By David Deans
A PLAN to convert a long-empty Newport bowling alley into a supermarket looks likely to be given the go-ahead despite a similar development being denied permission three years ago.
Newport council had argued that it wanted the site to be used for leisure rather than retail.
But officers are now recommending an application by Johnsey Estates to turn the former Megabowl into a supermarket be approved by the city council's planning committee.
Developer Johnsey Estates has welcomed the recommended U-turn and said the development would attract up to 300 jobs.
The company wants to convert the site in Newport Retail Park, which has been unused for five years, into a 5,117sq metre supermarket.
The company was denied permission to turn the site into retail and leisure units by Newport’s planning committee in 2007. At the time it was argued that the loss of leisure facilities at the site would be harmful to the council’s development of the area.
But in 2008 permission was granted on appeal by the Assembly planning inspector.
Johnsey later said that the changing retail market meant the scheme was no longer viable, and in 2009 put an application to build a supermarket into the council.
But it then appealed as the authority had not determined the application within five months of applying, the council having asked for more time while a retail study was completed.
The planning committee said in June they would have refused the application if it had come to them to be decided, but Johnsey Estates now says the appeal will be dropped and that two minor technical sticking points from the previous application have been resolved.
The company said a number of supermarket operators have expressed an interest in the Megabowl but would not been drawn on who they are.
A spokeswoman said: “This is commercially sensitive at this moment in time.”
Officers said in a report to the planning committee that the planning inspector allowed for a total of 3,252sq meters of the Megabowl to be used for retail use.
They added that the potential impact of the site complied with their own retail policy.
If the development goes ahead it will be the fourth supermarket at Newport Retail Park in Spytty.
The site already houses an Iceland, a Lidl, and a Tesco, where the operator is planning to rebuilt as a Extra-branded hypermarket covering 102,689 square feet of space.
A Morrisons is also planned in nearby Lliswerry, at the Lysaght's Institute, while Sainsbury’s is currently building a new supermarket in the north of the city at Crindau.
The Megabowl bowling alley closed its doors in August 2005 after its operator went into administration.
EDITORIAL COMMENT: Yet another store |
|
IT would be interesting to know what has led planning officials on Newport City Council to do a u-turn in recommending that a supermarket be allowed on the site of the former Megabowl at Spytty. Previously councillors and officials have gone on the record to say that this site should be restricted to entertainment venues rather than food retail. It is a commonly held view around the city that there are already enough supermarkets, but there seems to be no end to the demand for more. The new Asda in Pill is doing well, Tesco is building a megastore in Risca, as well as a Tesco extra, Morrisons is building a supermarket being the Lysaght's Institute and the giant new Sainsbury store is only weeks from opening. If the demand for supermarkets was matched by a demand for non-food retail there would be no problem filling up a giant shopping centre in the city. Let us hope that is truly the case if the council can overcome its problems with Iceland and attract a developer to redevelop the city centre. |
© Copyright 2001-2012 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.gazetteseries.co.uk/trade_directory/