The biggest bakery chain in the UK looks set to open a new store on a popular retail park.
Plans for a new Greggs store to be built in a new unit on the North Quay Retail Park on Peto Way, in Lowestoft, have been given the go-ahead.
A scheme centring around “construction of a new 111sq m ‘pod’ building and associated works to the existing site layout” on land west of Unit 11 at the North Quay Retail Park was lodged with East Suffolk Council in January.
Plans were approved by the council under delegated powers this week – meaning the new ‘pod’ store will become the third Greggs shop in Lowestoft, with a shop in the town centre on London Road North and a Greggs at the Gateway Retail Park in south Lowestoft.
The plans will see a new ‘pod’ development created to the west of the existing Costa coffee shop and close to the main entrance to the popular retail park.
The scheme submitted by agents Savills (UK) Limited on behalf of applicant Tom Whitehead for the Brookhouse Group Limited stated: “The new building is proposed to be occupied by Greggs; a well-recognised national multiple retailer and the largest bakery chain in the UK.
“The proposed development will not compete directly with more traditional cafés and other similar facilities within Lowestoft.”
In recommending approval with the “application permitted”, the delegated officer report states: “Whilst the use would ideally be located in the town centre, it is ancillary to the retail park and the proposal would result in employment and economic benefits.”
Two letters of objection raised concerns about overdevelopment, increased traffic and the other two Greggs stores already in Lowestoft.
A letter was sent to the council in late February from Greggs, which states: “Greggs have no intention of closing the town centre store, which will continue to operate in tandem with the existing store at Gateway Retail Park and this new store.
“We do not feel that the current application for a new Greggs ‘pod’ store at the Retail Park will in any way affect existing trade in the town centre.”
With the ‘pod’ building subject to the application measuring 224sq m in total it results in the loss of four car parking spaces, with the scheme to create six full-time equivalent jobs.
The recommendation is to “approve with conditions.”
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