At a planning meeting today (3 July 2012) Harrogate Borough Council gave planning permission to build a new Marks & Spencers food store on the current Nidd Vale site on the Leeds Road in Harrogate.
This now allows Nidd Vale to move their main operation to the Saint James’ retail park in Knaresborough.
No objections had been received by the consultees of the plans, although concerns were heard from two residents of Coronation Road, the road at the rear of the development and to be used as the primary vehicle exit route. Vehicles will enter via Beech Avenue with parking largely to the front and side of the store.
No objections were received from any of the other retailers on the Leeds Road.
The residence concerns were around the reduction in parking. Fourteen properties would be left with less than one parking space per property following an additional area of double-yellow lines on Coronation Road to help ease traffic exit.
Concerns were mitigated to a degree as additional parking would be a made available on the opposite side of Hookstone Road on an existing area of land.
A 3rd north-bound lane will be added as part of the highways changes along with two additional pedestrian crossings over Hookstone Road. The 3rd lane would be at the loss of a grass verge and hedge.
John Goodwin, head of Carter Jonas Harrogate. Carter Jonas oversaw the planning applications for the site.
John said:
We are delighted to have been agents for this application and to ensure that the permission will bring substantial community benefits including parking improvements for the local centre, better traffic flows and safer crossings to enable the M&S Simply Food to enhance Leeds Road and the surrounding area.
If this goes ahead, you’d assume that the Sainsbury’s development of the Milepost need not go ahead? Otherwise Leeds Road would have three supermarkets, if you include the existing Co-op (which I hope remains?)