New temporary supermarket planned for Holt after devastating Budgens fire
The proposed site for the temporary supermarket north of Kerrige Way in Holt is marked in white. A permanent replacement for Budgen's is to be built on the site of the old store, which is shown before the fire to the right. Image: Planning documents - Credit: Archant
Plans have been drawn up for a temporary grocery store in Holt following a devastating fire which destroyed Budgens.
Jane Gurney-Read from CT Baker Group. Picture: CT Baker Group - Credit: CT Baker
The CT Baker Group, which operated Budgens, has asked for the go-ahead to build a supermarket in the car park of the original store.
Budgens burned down on the evening of June 20, leaving the town without a supermarket. Investigators said the blaze was due to an electrical fault.
The temporary supermarket, to be built to the north of Kerridge Way, will still carry the Budgens branding and be operated by CT Baker.
It is anticipated the temporary store will operate for 15 months, while a permanent replacement for the supermarket is built on the site of the old Budgens, the remains of which are still being demolished.
A drone image of Budgens of Holt on fire in June. Photo: O Birch - Credit: Archant
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Plans show the temporary store will be 30 metres long and 20 metres wide - about half the size of the original Budgens, which opened at 1985.
MORE: ‘It was a social lifeline’ - local people still reeling from loss of Budgens in HoltJane Gurney-Read, CT Baker’s managing director, said: “The submission of plans to create a temporary store on the car park at Kerridge Way is a significant and positive step forward after the loss of the Budgens of Holt store.
“We are committed to providing a temporary solution for our customers and the local community while the longer-term plan of rebuilding the store is being developed.
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“In the meantime, we have been looking after our customers through our home delivery service which is being run from CT Baker Budgens of Aylsham, and Holt Post Office has recently taken delivery of a post box, situated alongside the pop up service in situ at Bakers and Larners of Holt.”
The Budgens site following the fire. Picture: Stuart Anderson - Credit: Archant
MORE: ‘Budgens of Holt was more than just a building - it was the heart of the town’The Budgens site is owned by investment group Topland and leased to Booker Retail Partners GB, which is actually owned by Tesco.
Booker, in turn, sub-lets the land to Morton Enterprises, the holding company of CT Baker.
The planning application, to North Norfolk District Council, is being made in the name of both Booker and Morton.
The temporary supermarket will use prefabricated panels set within a metal frame.
During discussions with council officers, the potential noise impact of refrigeration and air handling units on nearby residents was raised, so the designs were amended to reach a compromise.
