Thursday, 27 January 2011

New Dorridge Sainsbury's scheme announced

SAINSBURY’S has announced a new store plan for Dorridge that is 26 per cent smaller than the last scheme.

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The new proposal for Forest Court store would be 1,811sqm, a similar size to the Sainsbury’s in Solihull town centre.

The firm has devised a new plan after Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council rejected a 2,462sqm scheme in March.

It would not include a new doctors’ surgery as first proposed and would instead refurbish the existing Dorridge Practice.

The re-development would increase the number of shops from four to six compared to the previous plan and would also feature a restaurant.

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The supermarket giant said the plans had been ‘dramatically altered’ and include a public square facing onto Station Road.

Traffic calming measures would be introduced to Station Road, which would have a pick up and drop off point. The supermarket pledged ‘more extensive landscaping around the site’.

The service yard would be ‘fully enclosed’ and shopping would be on the ground floor only.

Yet it has not given details of the number of parking spaces. The previous plan, below, proposed 213 parking spaces underneath the store with access off Avenue Road.

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A public exhibition will be held next week. A planning application will then be submitted to the council for a decision.

Sainsbury’s said a questionnaire delivered to village homes, to which 1,180 people responded, had influenced the new plan.

Some 42 per cent wanted a store the size of Knowle’s Tesco, 557sqm.

A further 27 per cent wanted it to be the size of Solihull’s while 46 per cent backed a 1,393sqm store.

Most, 66 per cent, backed a new surgery while 25 per cent did not.

Michael Adenmosun, Sainsbury’s Regional Development Executive, said: “Over the past eleven months we have been working hard to create feasible plans that address the concerns raised by Dorridge residents.

“We have made many changes, which have been driven by the feedback we have received from the local community, who want to see the regeneration of Forest Court and the revitalisation of the village centre.”

“We are looking forward to giving the public the opportunity to view our new plans.”

Sainsbury’s said the doctors’ surgery would get new consulting and clinical rooms and refurbished entrance and consulting rooms.

In a press release issued by the firm, Dr William Upton said: “This development provides a great opportunity for The Dorridge Practice.

“We have worked closely with Sainsbury’s architects to ensure the scheme delivers an up to date surgery, with excellent facilities for our patients, who we hope will support us with this project.”

A statement on the website of the Dorridge & District Residents Association said: "While we have not had time to examine the detail of the plans and the implications of the changes, it is clear that Sainsbury's have made a genuine effort to address issues raised over the last 18 months and we would urge all residents to view the plans with an open mind.

"The doctors have told us that they are extremely pleased with what Sainsbury's have offered to do with the surgery, which will remain in the same place but be radically modernised and expanded.

"It is really important to the committee that we get the sense of what people are feeling about the new development, so please get in touch with any of the committee members.

"DDRA are committed to ensuring that the voices of all residents are heard in the planning process, whether for or against the development and so if you have any concern that you wish to ensure is properly addressed, please get in touch and we will do our best to ensure that your thoughts are presented to the Council in the most effective way regardless of our personal views."

A public exhibition will be held in the former Michael Peters shop in Forest Court next Friday from 9am to 6pm and the next day from 9am to 5pm.

For further information and to respond visit www.sainsburysdorridge.co.uk or call Amy Kershaw on the Sainsbury’s freephone 0800 975 5299.

Click here for previous Sainsbury’s stories.

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