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August
18, 2005
Sanders
Garden World wins battle to double in size
Bosses
at Sanders Garden World, near Burnham-On-Sea, are celebrating
this week after hearing that the Secretary of State has granted
them planning permission to build a 30,000 square foot extension
to their site which will effectively double its size.
The
directors at Garden World said they are pleased with the decision,
which comes after a long battle stretching back more than four
years with planners and councillors. The company issued some harsh
words towards local councillors who refused to give their backing
to the scheme.
Peter
Burks, Sanders Garden World Managing Director, said: “We
are all delighted with the outcome, however it has been a long
wait and comes at a cost of several hundred thousand pounds in
professional fees alone.
 “We
will now start planning the redevelopment process including assessing
the cost of the additional infrastructure required. Provided everything
goes to plan, we could start building as early as next year.”
In
addition to the expansion of the garden centre, the company hopes
to build a new roundabout providing safer access onto the A38
plus new footpaths and a cycle path from the centre to Burnham-On-Sea.
Directors at the centre say that more than 100 new jobs will be
created by the proposed scheme, bringing the total employed on
site to 250 people.
In
the letter to Sanders Garden World’s representatives, the
Secretary of State agrees with the Inspector Alan Novitzky’s
recommendation to grant planning permission.
The
letter goes on to say that the Secretary of State agrees with
the Inspector’s conclusions, drawn from information collected
at the public inquiry held in Burnham-On-Sea at the end of November
2004, that the proposal "promotes economic activity."
He
also said that he considered that the garden centre as it stands
or as proposed is "not likely to attract tourist trade in
a manner harmful to local centres, in particular to Burnham-On-Sea"
and agrees it "would benefit economic activity through the
provision of further jobs."
Peter
added: "With more than 20,000 visitors every week, Sanders
Garden World is already a major destination for people living
nearby and tourists alike. We are an integral part of the economy
and community."
The
Secretary of State goes on to grant "planning permission
for an extension to the existing garden centre building, new stores
building, additional car parking and an extension of the site
to include the pond area."
Garden
World Director Chris Sanders, who was also delighted with the
outcome, attacked local councillors for refusing to give their
backing to the scheme.
He
said: "A facility that will bring benefit to the whole area
has been delayed by at least two years and maybe more. It is right
and proper that large applications such as this should be subject
to the full scrutiny of the planning system, but it is totally
unacceptable that local tax payer’s money should be squandered
in a futile attempt to use the process to delay the decision.
"Burnham-On-Sea
town councillors have opposed this application, which was approved
by Sedgemoor Council and supported by officers, at great expense
and now the ratepayers will have to pick up the bill.
"If
we are to encourage economic development and bring jobs and prosperity
to the area, the council must adopt a more progressive and constructive
approach towards business development, the status quo is unsustainable
and we cannot continue to resist change."
RELATED
LINKS:
Town Council statement
on Garden World expansion
Sanders Garden World
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