Official Press Release from Station Road Retail Ltd. 20-04-2012

New Supermarket plans

to bring 250 jobs to Cottingham.

Station Road Retail Ltd are excited to announce that they have submitted a planning application for their new supermarket proposals at Station Road, Cottingham. The application has been lodged with East Riding Council and follows an extensive public consultation exercise, attended by 500 plus local residents and a number of businesses and stakeholders last October. A wide range of comments were expressed in respect of the proposals during this consultation exercise which led to the design team to reassess the scheme in order to address those comments and in order to maximise the benefits for Cottingham.

Simon Dixon who heads up Station Road Retail Ltd states: "We believe that our revised design has addressed a number of the comments expressed relating to concerns in respect of the potential impact of our proposals on the local highway network and the trading position of existing retailers within the village, however, much support was also expressed for us to deliver a modern supermarket to address unsustainable shopping patterns which finds 90% of residents undertaking their main food shopping trip outside of Cottingham. In a direct response to comments we have made the significant decision to reduce the scale of the supermarket by 20% and to no longer include a petrol filling station within our proposals. This will result in 39% less vehicle trips; a major revision that we hope will be welcomed locally. The reduced supermarket will still be of a sufficient size to allow customers to undertake their weekly shop locally and lead to a higher level of retained expenditure within the local area, this change will allow the added benefit of us being able to retain the majority of the existing businesse on the site. Whilst Stoneledge Plant and Transport Ltd and Boards (Cottingham) Ltd will still be relocated to more suitable premises, the new scheme will allow for all existing businesses such as Jacee Print, Cottingham MOT Centre and the Cottingham Cycle Centre to continue trading at Station Road. With the added benefit of the supermarket creating approximately 250 new job opportunities in the local area, we hope this will be seen as a really good economic outcome for Cottingham".

Phil Gorman of Boards (Cottingham) Ltd who supports the scheme states, "Whilst we will be sorry to leave Station Road, we are looking forward to relocating the business to a purpose-built site that can provide a better sales experience for our valued customers".

Phil Greenwood of Stoneledge Plant & Transport Ltd comments "having moved to Station Road in 1978 to accommodate nine items of plant we have since expanded to over 50 major items of machinery, therefore, significantly outgrowing our existing premises. By relocating to larger modern premises this will substantially mitigate crippling fuel costs by housing all of our transport business and the sustainability of one of East Yorkshire's longest established companies".

Station Road Retail Ltd have also made further significant changes to the design of the supermarket which will be highly sustainable, in addition to reinforcing landscaping, tree planting and pedestrian and cycle links across the development site. Whilst at this stage no occupiier of the supermarket has been confirmed, various national supermarket operators have expressed interest in the development. Station Road Ltd hope to secure planning permission by the end of the summer.