April 10, 2019 10.10 am This story is over 59 months old

Green light for Tesco retail park in Sleaford

It will bring growth and jobs, say officials
An artist's impression of how the new retail park could look.

A plan by supermarket giant Tesco for a new retail park, retirement home and bowls club in Sleaford was given the go-ahead last night.

North Kesteven district councillors approved the plans for the former Advanta Seeds site off Boston Road which officers at the authority predict will bring growth and jobs to the town.

The proposal will see six new shops and a new drive through coffee shop built, as well as 450 new parking spaces.

One of the new units will be designed for a “bulky goods” store, while another will be a food outlet.

The remaining four smaller shops will be used for retail.

A 58 room retirement home will also be built as part of the development and a new bowling club to replace the existing Bristol Bowls Club.

Tesco has also agreed to provide £150,000 in contributions for affordable housing off-site.

The site was bought by Tesco but the multi-million pound plans for a new store there were shelved in January 2015 after the company had to drastically reassess its expansion plans.

Council officers said the new plan will help to bring a retail park close to the town centre and will include a footpath leading to the high street.

Plans for the Boston Road site show several retail units and a retirement home.

Councillor Ian Carrington said the site is important to help regenerate Sleaford.

“It will play a vital role in revitalising the town,” he said.

“It’s not only important for Sleaford, but the whole of the district and we want to see it prosper.

“Every market town cannot stand still, they must move forward.”

Meanwhile, Councillor Katie Cook said the development was “much needed” for the area.

She said: “The town really does need something like this to regenerate it.”

But concern was raised about an increase in lorries and heavy goods vehicles using the town centre as a route to the park.

Councillors approved the development, but asked for a traffic management plan to be written up to address the concern over delivery vehicles.

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