Q. Is there a need?
A. At the recent Prince’s Foundation feedback meeting, most residents that attended the workshop stated that there was a need for a new supermarket. The 2012 Wiltshire Core Strategy states that there may be scope for an appropriate scale of supermarket development.
The majority of local people drive by private car to large food stores in Cirencester, Chippenham and Tetbury. Only 14% of local expenditure is spent in the town centre and only 38% is spent in the Malmesbury area (i.e. town centre plus the out of centre Co-op).
The application seeks to address an unsustainable pattern of shopping identified by the Wiltshire Retail Study which was undertaken to inform the preparation of the Local Development Framework. On the basis that the proposed Waitrose will meet this need by providing the opportunity for residents to shop locally – in addition to further enhancing the vitality and viability of the town centre by facilitating linked trips etc – it cannot be said to be premature.
Moreover, Waitrose have sought to progress the proposal through a comprehensive programme of public consultation and stakeholder engagement and against this background do not believe that the opportunity for the residents of Malmesbury to be actively involved in the determination of the current planning application is any less than it would be were the proposal being advanced through the Neighbourhood Plan process.
GVA Grimley was asked in January 2012 to prepare an independent review of applications for new foodstore proposals in Malmesbury. To read the report, please click on the link below: http://www.waitrosemalmesbury.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/GVA-advice-Malmesbury-apps-March-2012-TS.pdf
Q. How big is the store going to be?
A. The proposed Waitrose store will have a sales area of 18,000 sq ft. This is in comparison to the Co-Op which is 8,000sq ft. The store is similar in size to Tetbury (19,000 sq ft) & Chippenham (18,000 sq ft) Tesco stores and smaller than the Morrisons in Chippenham (27,000 sq ft). Sainsbury are proposing a 30,000 sq ft store.
Q. What will the store sell?
A. Waitrose in Malmesbury would be primarily a food store. This will include a meat, fish and deli/cheese counter. Approximately 15% of floorspace will stock non-food items such as health & beauty products, detergents, pet food etc. We aren’t proposing to sell white goods or large electricals.
Q. How are Simons/Waitrose proposing to deal with drainage on the site?
A. Waitrose and Simons are finalising additional plans to reassure local residents that their scheme will reduce the risk and extent of peak water flows from the site that contribute to flooding.
The Environment Agency confirmed that the previous drainage proposals by Simons were in line with national planning guidance, but welcomed the additional measures taken by Simons.
Simons has proposed a revised drainage system that will be able to hold surface water from their site and reduce peak water run-off into the Avon upstream of St Johns Bridge. The new system, combined with other measures, will reduce water flow at peak times from the site by up to 60%.
The Environment Agency (EA) has now approved the additional measures taken to address local concerns regarding flood risk, confirming they will improve upon the site’s current drainage.
In a letter to Wiltshire Council (dated 12 March 2012), the EA stated they are satisfied that the proposals will not increase flood risk on or off site and therefore raised no objection, subject to detailed design.
Q. Why this site?
A. Waitrose have been looking to come to Malmesbury for a number of years and, after much deliberation, chose this site on the edge of town for a number of reasons. It is adjacent to a number of main roads which ensures that the centre of Malmesbury would not suffer from traffic congestion as a result of the increased number of shoppers. It was also preferred to a site further away from the town as to not detract from Malmesbury town centre.
Waitrose will be within walking distance of the town centre and because of this people will feel encouraged to visit both. The proposed dual provision of a long stay public car park will facilitate these linked trips with the town centre thereby benefiting existing businesses on the high street that will also benefit from an increased number of shoppers in Malmesbury.
Q. What about noise?
A. The proposed store will not trade overnight, with a barrier preventing access to the car park outside of trading hours. HGV deliveries will not take place overnight.
The noise assessment submitted in support of the planning application shows that peak noise levels will be below the night time peak noise guideline values.
Prior to the commencement of the construction work a method statement including noise control measures will be submitted and agreed with the local authority.
Q. How many car parking spaces?
A. The car park would provide 242 new spaces for Waitrose shoppers and those visiting the town centre. This represents a 33% increase in the amount of long-stay space in the town.
Q. Are there going to be benefits for the community?
A. As with all Waitrose stores, the Waitrose in Malmesbury will donate £1000 a month to local charities and projects that the residents of Malmesbury will decide. Customers receive a green token when they shop at the store which can be put in the box of their charity of choice. At the end of the month, the number of tokens in each box is weighed and the charities receive a portion of the £1,000.
Through the Golden Jubilee Trust scheme, its employees can apply to work on full pay for community projects. Since the initiative was founded in 2000, its staff have provided over 114,000 hours to more than 280 charities.
This development will create around 140 jobs. These will be a mix of full and part-time positions.
Waitrose is primarily a grocer. The proposed store will stock an element of non-food items, including pet food and toiletries. It will not sell large electrical goods, clothing or footwear, which differentiates Waitrose from other large format food store operators.
Analysis submitted in support of the Waitrose application concludes that, with the proposed Waitrose built and trading, 80% of local food expenditure will be spent locally. This will result in increased spending in the town centre – particularly on non-food goods – as a result of people undertaking the envisaged linked trips to the town centre. This will be made easy by 242 car park spaces, along with an enhanced pedestrian and cycle route to the High Street.
Due to the extent of comments raised in respect of ecology which refer to numerous different species of fauna Delta Simons have undertaken further discussion with various bodies including the Environment Agency Biodiversity Officer which indicate that the site will not result in any harm to local ecology. Whilst a number of species have been referred to by members of the public they are either not present on the site or where present nearby will not be affected by the proposed development.
Q. Will the store be environmentally friendly?
A. Waitrose pledged to improve the energy efficiency of its shops by 20% by 2010. Not only did they meet this target before 2010, they continued to work and by 2010, they had exceeded this. Waitrose have also pledged to reduce their CO2 by 20% by 2020 even accounting for growth of their business.
Almost all of their energy is supplied from green, sustainable sources and Waitrose aim to recycle 95% of all food store waste by the end of 2013
The store will achieve BREEAM Excellent rating. Building research establishment environmental assessment method – the leading and most widely used environmental assessment method for buildings.
The Waitrose store will use hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) free water-cooled refrigerators throughout the store. Additionally cold air will be reclaimed from the chiller aisles to cool other areas of the store.
Q. What will be the visual impact on the surrounding area?
A. The proposed design has taken into account, the setting and history of Malmesbury. In order to minimise the visual impact of a new store, a number of measures have been incorporated into the design. This includes:
- The store itself, will be set at the lower end of the site
- The area behind and to the side of the store will be gently raised to minimise the visual impact on neighbouring homes
- The existing hedgerows and trees will be maintained and enhanced
- Additional trees will be planted
- The car park will be heavily landscaped
- The roof of the store will be curved to fit in with the profile of the natural landscape
We have responded positively to local concerns in the building design, for example locating the shop at the lower end of the site, using a curved roof to fit in with the profile of the natural landscape and increasing the number of trees and planting.
The store is not generally visible from key viewpoints thereby mitigating its visual impact and ensuring that the scheme maintains the character and appearance of the Conservation Area.
The scheme will maximise the use of good quality downlights, which specifically minimise both the sky ‘light pollution’ and limit light spillage onto adjacent land or the public highway. Automatic controls will be introduced on the external lighting fittings and circuits to switch off any lights other than those required for security or safety purposes after the store closes to ensure appropriate levels of safe access are maintained.