Locals have welcomed plans to open two new supermarkets in Nottinghamshire, creating vital new jobs in the process.
After a year of doom and gloom on Britain’s high streets, plans are now in the pipeline to build a new Sainsbury and Aldi at Teal Park in the east of the city. The new trade park is located by the A612 Colwick Loop Road and offers easy access for shoppers around Nottingham.
Creating new jobs
The newly proposed development would create between 125 and 200 jobs according to developers, which has placed Aldi at the anchor of the detailed plans. The proposed new local centre would also include an extra four shops, a pub and a children’s day nursery. If the plans are approved, work is expected to begin on the new retail store and parade this autumn, with the expectation that it will be completed by next spring.
In the meantime, work has begun on a much-anticipated new Sainsbury’s which is also being built just off the Colwick Loop Road. Base Build, the primary contractor, is already clearing the area so that construction works can begin. Gedling Borough Council included the proposals for this section of the development, which will include a new petrol station and Argos. Over 100 jobs will be created at this site, helping to begin better serving the needs of local households and providing access to vital retail facilities.
Traffic being factored in
Planning permission was originally granted for both the supermarket and petrol station in 2014 but the works didn’t progress. After Sainsbury’s made major adjustments to the plans, it was pleased to confirm its intention to place a shop at the site. Although traffic is expected to rise as a result of the new supermarkets, stores and facilities, planners were happy that the local infrastructure could accommodate the increase.
Local shoppers have welcomed the investment in the area, especially after a hard year of Covid restrictions. Jason Morton, a local shopper from Gedling, said that it was “always good to have options for stores and investment”, adding “I think with the impact of Covid I’d always welcome the creation of jobs. Supermarket shopping has just become more and more popular in lockdown too. The impact to think about would be traffic and I thought that is considered.”
Marie Parker from Netherfield said that she expected the new retail sites would be busy and that she was glad to see essential new jobs coming to the area to help local people.
Teal Park will be located next to the large Rivendell housing estate, close to Victoria Retail Park between Stoke Bardolph and Netherfield. The housing site will eventually constitute over 800 properties, leading to a local council leader to describe it as a ‘mini city’ in its own right.
Rishi Sunak has recently announced a raft of measures to help Britain’s businesses after a year of challenging Covid restrictions. These will include a £5 billion fund for the country’s high streets, extended furlough arrangements until the end of September, additional grants for directly impacted businesses and a second round of Covid business recovery loans.
