Councillors back plans for shop on Grantham’s Poplar Farm estate

Plans for a new convenience store have been given the green light by South Kesteven District Council's planning committee.

The store, on the Poplar Farm estate in Grantham, will be set back from Penryn Way and will be a single-storey building of 378 square metres.

Its design includes features such as timber cladding and red brick, and the development includes plans for pedestrian access and a loading bay.

With a delivery management plan in place, council officers felt concerns about traffic and noise near nearby residential properties had been addressed.

The new convenience store is expected to provide vital services to the Poplar Farm and Rectory Farm estates, with future plans for a health centre, community centre and potentially a nursery school in the area.

Stuart Bizley, representing the developers Norwich Hub and Buckminster Estate, highlighted the development's importance, noting that 672 homes have already been built in the area, with more to follow.

“This is a milestone for the development of Poplar Farm by Buckminster and Norwich Hub that is bringing homes and investment to Grantham,” he said.

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Developers said the approval paves the way for the first phase of a local centre designed to serve the growing community on the north-western edge of the town.

“Permission to build this convenience store enables us to move on to the next stage of creating an attractive local centre designed around a square,” said Stuart.

“Once the access road and infrastructure serving the proposed shop is built, this will enable our other community benefits to come forward.”

The committee's discussions took into account sustainability, with plans for electric vehicle charging points included in the car park area.

While solar panels will depend on the store's future tenants, the project aims to meet modern building standards and requirements.

Coun Tim Harrison (Ind) said the proposal was “one that should definitely go through”.

“The shop is needed up there,” he said, highlighting plans to level the ground and that infrastructure was already in place.

Coun Patsy Ellis (Ind) added: “It'd be great to have a shop there so we reduce travel, and hopefully we can have some more active travel within that residential area.”

Chairman of the planning committee Coun Charmaine Morgan (Dem Ind) said: “We are aware there are quite significant traffic issues down Barrowby Road, and this should certainly help with the provision of a much-wanted and needed amenity.”

Councillors voted unanimously to approve the plans.