Malcolm Scott Consultants Ltd has gained planning permission for the ambitious redevelopment of Redfields Garden Centre after considered and lengthy negotiation with the Local Planning Authority. Landscape proposals and a Retail Impact Assessment prepared by Malcolm Scott Consultants Ltd were pivotal in gaining the planning permission.
- The major new Garden Centre development provides fundamentally improved facilities on an efficiently planned reduced site.
- The Garden Centre building floor-space will nearly double in size to 6,000m².
- The Covered Open-Sided Canopies (1,360m²) will link directly onto the main garden centre building, in place of the current separate location.
- There will be a new compact open plant sales area.
- There will be 341 car parking spaces.
- The redevelopment will release over one hectare of land.
- The existing ageing buildings will be replaced by a new elegant, symmetrically designed building with a softer building form using a curved roof pattern to assimilate it better into the site.
- Sympathetic landscape proposals including the planting of 67 native trees will enhance biodiversity and wildlife habitat.
- Highly sustainable measures will include a thermally efficient building with low-pressure under-floor heating by gas-fired condensing boilers, solar hot water collectors on the south-facing roof elements providing hot water for kitchens and toilets, and water collecting and storage systems for irrigation in the plant sales areas.
- New showers and changing facilities will be provided for the 120 staff to encourage sustainable travel to and from the garden centre.
- Improved storage and distribution facilities will support home delivery and internet shopping services.
Redfields Garden Centre owner Malcolm Goater confirms: “The new centre will be more attractive and environmentally friendly than the current one and will safeguard the jobs of 120 staff, as well as creating 6 new full-time jobs. This ensures the future of the garden centre and its staff.” It is anticipated that work will commence this autumn, following completion of the s.106 Agreement and Staff Travel Plan. The final phase is due for completion in spring 2011.
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