KTC is very pleased that Henry Boot Developments’ application for a Waitrose food store on the Dents factory site in the centre of Warminster was approved by the Western Area Planning Committee of Wiltshire Council early in August.
The application for a total proposed floor area of 2,892m2 has been referred to the Government Office for the South West for final approval. This is because the Secretary of State should be consulted on applications for retail floor space above 2,500 m2. In the event the Government Office decided not to call the application in and Wiltshire Council are now abe to proceed to approval of the application subject to completion of a Section 106 Agreement.
The application attracted much local interest and it was standing room only at the Bradley Road offices of Wiltshire Council in Trowbridge when the application was considered. The Council Chamber was well populated by Waitrose supporters including two young residents holding a banner that read “Warminster wants Waitrose”.
The Wiltshire Council planning officer recommended refusal of the application on the basis that the site failed to meet the sequential test on site selection as there was a sequentially preferable site closer to the town centre. Explaining this to Councillors led to a certain amount of derision from the public which grew in volume as the meeting progressed and when anyone spoke against the proposal. There were few dissenting voices, however, and one sensed that the application was finding favour with Councillors who variously considered that the officers” sequential test conclusion was marginal if not wrong.
There was some discussion on whether the proposed food store would actually be a Waitrose in due course. This was in spite of the circulation to Councillors of a letter from Waitrose stating that they had now agreed terms with Henry Boot Developments for the Dents factory site. Notwithstanding these discussions, when the vote was called Councillors provided a unanimous recommendation for approval. The subsequent public acclaim indicated that this decision was greeted with general, if not unanimous, approval.
Further information about KTC’s role in supporting the planning application can be found in our project summary.