Plans have been lodged for the extension of a Portadown Spar shop to help “enhance the retail offering at the site”, create a self service check-out space and to “meet the needs of customer demands”.
The application was submitted in the name of Ms Louise Litters and relates to Litters’ Filling Station at 24 Dungannon Road.
Proposals put forward by Clarman Architects detail a need to bring the store up to more modern specification to fit with “changes in consumer shopping habits” and an increase in “top-up” shopping.
A planning statement prepared by Inaltus Ltd explains that while the shop was rebuilt in 2010, with the addition of an off licence, the “passage of time” means the store is once again in need of further redevelopment to increase their range of goods.
If approved, the plans will see space created for chiller space and additional chiller tables providing top up meals and meals for home cooking.
Extending the length of aisle will increase shelf space for more fresh bread and a bread and cake table and a widening of the aisles will allow easier customer movement
around the shop, improving the shopping experience for mobility-restricted customers.
Permission is sought for an extension in retail floorspace of 59 sqm for increased non retail trading floorspace of the deli and seating area and the back of house area.
This would then bring the over floorspace of the extended shop to 500 sqm. It will include a retail area of circa 413 sqm, an ancillary seating area of circa 36 sqm and a relocated deli counter area of circa 48 sqm to replace the existing hot food provision.
The extension will also provide a new back of house area of 224 sqm. This will include a main store, office, staff room, replacement WC facilities, chiller room and freezer room.
Additional improvements are also sought including a new shop canopy over the entrance, cycle parking spaces, two existing jet washes to be directly replaced with two new lance car washes, two new maintenance parking bays to the west of the site and lines for additional parking and improvements will be made to the side loading area of the store.
No changes are proposed to the off licence or the fuel pumps or access. However, parking spaces will be increased, if approved, from 32 to 35 spaces.
Providing rationale for the proposals, the supporting documentation adds: ” The improvement of the shop will meet the needs of the new residents coming to live in the housing being developed on zoned housing land as well as the existing residents some of whom are elderly and others deprived and rely on locally accessible shopping such as this.
“There is no retail or planning policy based case to oppose this application. On the contrary, the changes made by this proposal make the retail unit more attractive to local people and accessible with better parking and easier access for the general public. The application and the investment should be welcomed by the Council.”
The application will be advertised shortly.
