Plans for a huge £4million expansion of a garden centre near Burnham-On-Sea went on show to the public for the first time on Tuesday evening (March 25th).
Burnham-On-Sea.com broke the news earlier this month that Sanders Garden World at Brent Knoll is hoping to extend its premises by 35,000 square feet and introduce a new roundabout on the A38 outside the store.
Manager Peter Burks said at Tuesday’s unveiling of the plans, pictured here, that the extension is also likely to generate up to 100 new jobs if it wins approval from council planners.
He said that Wyevale Garden Centres – which took over the garden centre last year – will be submitting the planning application this Spring and that if the council gives the project a green light in the autumn, that construction could start as soon as November 2008 with completion expected in the summer of 2009.
Manager Peter Burks told Burnham-On-Sea.com that he believes the extended centre would have no impact on trade of Burnham shops. “I really don’t think it should make any difference to businesses in Burnham at all. Our initial planning application limited the number and type of products we could sell to reduce competition with shops in Burnham, and we have no intention of changing this.”
“We have a good working relationship with the Chamber of Trade and, if anything, see the expansion helping to bring more people into the Burnham area rather than fewer.”
In 2005, under the garden centre’s previous ownership, planning consent was given for an increase of the indoor space to 58,500 square feet and the external space to 150,000 square feet.
Wyevale’s new proposals are to increase the size of the covered building to 63,000 square feet and to leave the remainder of the outdoor sales area in its existing state.
The proposal also means the number of car parking spaces looks set to rise from 369 spaces to 411 – although some customers at Tuesday’s exhibition said they thought this was too few.
Wyevale has already held a number of pre-planning submission meetings with Sedgemoor District Council.
Mr Burks said Tuesday’s unveiling of the detailed plans had drawn “very positive feedback from customers and councillors.”
.GARDEN WORLD’S EXPANSION PLANS IN DETAIL
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RELATED LINKS:
Exhibition to be held by growing garden centre
Revealed: Garden centre to unveil expansion plans
