Dobbies garden centre at York Business Park to create 100 jobs

Garden centre Dobbies has revealed plans to create 120 new jobs with a new Garden World development at York Business Park.

The new £8 million garden centre follows the retailer’s withdrawal of plans in 2009 to create a Garden World near York Designer Outlet.

City of York Council planning committee rejected the original plans for a 12.5-acre green-belt site in October 2008.

Dobbies, which is part of the Tesco Group, now hopes to develop an eight-acre site at the business park based in Nether Poppleton.

The proposals will be on show to the public on Thursday, September 29, from 2pm to 8pm at the Premier Inn North West, White Rose Close, York Business Park.

Stuart Wright, director of property at Dobbies, said: “In 2009, we reiterated our commitment to bring our proposals for jobs and investment to York in the near future. And we’re delighted today that, after working closely with the local authority, we’ve now identified a suitable site in York which will hopefully allow us to move forward our plans to invest in the city.

“Our York Garden World would bring more than 120 jobs to the area and would encourage an environmentally-friendly approach to 21st century living where all the family can enjoy planting and growing.”

He said the development would have a sustainable timber frame structure, use natural materials and incorporate environmentally-friendly and sustainable features, such as energy efficient lighting systems and rainwater recycling.

The centre would sell more than 10,000 plants, shrubs and trees and include outdoor areas, an aquatics department, a farm food hall offering locally-grown produce from Yorkshire suppliers, and a 350-seater restaurant.

Mr Wright said: “We are hoping to help boost the local economy in a sustainable way by providing jobs for local people.”

Source : Julie Hayes – The Press, York
http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/9265729.Garden_centre_to_create_100_jobs/