Supermarket giant Tesco has formally unveiled plans to extend its Burnham-on-Sea store in order to offer a wider product choice and reduce congestion at peak times.
As Burnham-On-Sea.com reported last week, the plans are to go on show at a two-day public consultation at The Princess Hall. It will run from 12.30pm until 8pm on Tuesday (July 22nd) and 11am until 7pm on Wednesday (July 23rd).
The new plans include a smaller extension than proposed in 2005, with an extra 1,150 square metres of shopping space, and around twice as many parking spaces as the current car park.
The development would also include junction improvements at the site’s entrance on Ben Travers Way, a new pedestrian route, and bus stop and environmental improvements between the site and Love Lane.
Tesco spokesman Dan Bramwell said in a statement issued on Thursday morning (July 17th): “The Burnham store has been very popular ever since it opened and customers tell us they want a bigger and less crowded store.”
“We want to provide the best possible shopping environment and that means we need to increase shopping and parking space to cope with the demand now and in the future. We have looked at the Inspector’s comments on the 2005 application and are confident that the plans we have developed address the issues raised.”
He added that the new store would incorporate a number of green building technologies including a system to collect rainwater for toilet flushing, sensor controlled lighting systems, the use of recycled building materials and more windows to increase natural light in the store.
The company hopes to submit the scheme to Sedgemoor District Council for planning permission later this year and, if approved, building could begin next summer.
The new plans follow an application in 2005 which, despite approval from the local District Council’s Planning Committee and a petition of more than 6,000 names supporting the plans, was turned down by the then Secretary of State after a public inquiry.
