B&Q Glastonbury to remain open

B&Q has confirmed that its Glastonbury store is to remain open, despite the fact that Mendip District Council gave the go-ahead for the building to be converted into four separate stores last autumn.

The application, which was submitted by site-owner Co-operative Estates Ltd, requested that the 25-year-old store be converted to four units, comprising of a drive-thru coffee shop or restaurant, non-food units and units for bulky goods.

The text from the application reads as follows:

"Subdivision of existing B&Q unit to form three new retail units and alterations to elevations to facilitate this conversion; construction of new retail unit on existing garden centre (652sqm at ground floor with 233sqm mezzanine); and construction of drive thru restaurant/cafe (198sqm at ground floor with 18sqm plant mezzanine) within car park. (Updated Transport Statement Received 19.08.2015)."

The approval gave rise to concern over the future of the store, not least because Kingfisher had announced plans to close around 65 stores across the UK and Ireland by the end of January 2017, but a B&Q spokesperson told Central Somerset Gazette that a new lease had been signed, stating:

"We have recently signed a new ten-year lease on our site in Glastonbury and look forward to serving our loyal customers for many years to come,"

Work must start on the site within three years of the date the approval was granted.

The application states that the B&Q building is dated and that redevelopment would "promote commercial activity as well as providing a refreshed modern development" for the local area.

Neither B&Q nor Co-operative Estates Ltd would comment on the plans.

The plans can be found on Mendip Council’s website under the reference 2015/1363/FUL.

Image : Michaelpuche / Shutterstock.com

Source : Insight DIY Team

Sign-up for our weekly newsletter here.

To advertise on the Insight DIY website and download our media pack, click here.