Weaver Vale Garden Centre expansion plans backed

New centre could create dozens of jobs

Plans to bulldoze a landmark garden centre and build a new one creating dozens of extra jobs have cleared a vital hurdle.

Cheshire West and Chester planners initially backed an application late last year to flatten Weaver Vale Garden Centre on Winnington Lane to make way for an entirely new building.

But work could not get underway until completion of a Section 106 agreement – a standard legal deal between councils and applicants designed to provide funds to offset the impact of large developments.

That agreement has now been signed, with borough planning officers having formally given the proposal the green light.

The proposals were submitted by Falkirk-based company Klondyke Strikes Garden Centres which bought the site in 2006 – although the centre had operated for many years beforehand.

According to the plans, the new garden centre will be designed to suit what the applicant called the ‘changing expectations’ of modern garden centre customers and will include a shop, restaurant, covered outdoor display area, outdoor sales area, new warehouse and an extension to parking and service yard areas.

A planning document submitted by the applicant said: “The site is a well established local business, offering a range of products including plants, garden sundries and tools, garden furniture, outdoor clothing and a small range of gift and homewares.

“The site also includes a coffee shop offering breakfast, lunches, snacks and drinks.”

But it said the existing buildings had become worn over the years and had started to become no longer ‘fit for purpose’.

It added: “The fact the site has developed over time in a piecemeal fashion has also resulted in inefficiencies in the current layout.

“Works are required in order for the site to keep up with its competitors and meet the changing needs of today’s garden centre customers.”

The approved scheme also includes the widening of existing access, external lighting, electric vehicle charging points and cycle storage. The plans are expected to safeguard existing jobs and create a further 47 roles.

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