M&S Harrogate

Public consultation opens for new M&S store in Harrogate

19 October 2011

M&S Harrogate

A public consultation about the new Marks & Spencer Simply Food store, which is planned for the Nidd Vale Motors site in Leeds Road, Harrogate, opens on Friday October 21.

Developers St James Securities of Leeds have hailed the planned store as “tremendous news” for the town.

The consultation will be held at the Nidd Vale’s showrooms:

10.00am and 7.00pm on Friday 21st Oct

10.00am to 1.00pm on Saturday 22nd Oct

A planning application for the new Simply Food store is due to be presented to Harrogate Borough Council later this year.

The development of the Nidd Vale site, which is being master-minded by St James Securities, would see Nidd Vale Motors relocate to St James’s Business Park in Knaresborough.

Nidd Vale, which trades in Vauxhall, Mazda, SEAT and Saab, would occupy a purpose-built 20,000 sq ft car showroom at the business park.

Paul Morris, director of St James Securities, said:

We would like to welcome local residents and businesses to the consultation and explain to them what the development will mean. We look forward to receiving everyone’s comments, which we will take on board before the planning application goes in to the council later this year.

We believe that this exciting development, for a leading national retail operator, will have major economic and aesthetic benefits for this important gateway site into Harrogate. It is tremendous news.

First and foremost, the proposed development will create approximately 50 new jobs at a time of economic uncertainty. These will be local and new jobs, which will boost the Harrogate economy.

Secondly, the proposed scheme will include approx 170 new parking spaces, which will ease parking congestion in that area of Leeds Road and increase safety. At the moment, cars parking outside the nearby shopping parade have to reverse into Leeds Road, which is clearly far from ideal.

Thirdly, the existing Nidd Vale site and frontage, is not especially attractive. The new M&S store will be sensitively landscaped, bringing a green ambience to the area which will fit in seamlessly with the greener feel of the southern part of Leeds Road as it leaves the town centre.

Overall, this development is tremendous news for Harrogate and we trust this exhibition and public consultation will demonstrate why.

Paul Morris explained that Nidd Vale had been looking for an opportunity to relocate its Leeds Road business and to base its Harrogate sales and after-sales operations from a single location.

He added:

This will provide Nidd Vale with up-to-date headquarters, protecting existing jobs within the Harrogate district whilst creating new employment from the sensitive development of the Leeds Road site.

A spokesman for Marks & Spencer commented:

This will be the first Simply Food in Harrogate and it will complement our existing town centre store. The food store is recognised as a niche premium top- up supermarket and as such does not seek to directly compete with retailers, but rather complements their offer. It will make Leeds Road a more attractive destination.

 

 

3 Comments

  1. Looks like 6 big sheds. M&S (Multiple Sheds)! (:-)

    All for it, you can never have too many Marks & Spencers and the bigger the better!

  2. Oh why not build another big store in Harrogate; whether or not it is needed, just do it anyway. Then, one day Harrogate will be known as a town of ‘big stores’ rather than the beautiful spa town it used to be.

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