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Giant DIY store all set for an autumn opening


by Natalie Cox


A CONTROVERSIAL Clithe­ roe DIY store is set to open its


doors this autumn. Almost 18 months after finally


being given the go-ahead, the new Homebase store is scheduled to open in October. The retailer confirmed this week


th a t i t will create around 50 new full- and part-time jobs. Divisional general manager, Mr


Peter King, said: “We are delighted to be opening a new store in Clitheroe as this will make it even easier for our customers to create a better home.” Groundwork is already under way for the new Clitheroe store - which


. is being built on the former Rectella site, next to Sainsbury’s, and will occupy a total of 22,500 sq ft. Two years ago town centre traders


■from Clitheroe lobbied members of Ribble Valley Borough Council’s planning committee to get resub­ mitted plans from the DIY giant turned down. Although th e plan for the


Queensway store, with its associat­ ed garden centre, car parking and landscaping, was recommended for approval by the council’s planning officers, their professional advice was not taken by members, who voted to refuse permission. At the meeting Coun. Frank


Dyson said Homebase would adversely affect the v i ta l i ty of Clitheroe town centre, describing it as a disaster architecturally. Only one member spoke in sup­


port of the application, Chatburn councillor Howard Douglas, who subsequently lost his seat on the council at last May’s election. Homebase appealed against the


refusal and 12 months later a public inquiry was held in Clitheroe, with a Government planning inspector appointed to hear the evidence and make the final decision. Chartered town planning consult­


ant Alison Rowland, speaking on behalf of the council, said the design of the proposed store was out of keeping with a his toric market town, describing it as a “large mono­ lithic mass” using “bland corporate architecture”.


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But the appellant’s solicitor, Mr


Richard Sagar, told the inquiry there was a need for a DIY store such as Homebase in Clitheroe. When the inquiry resumed a


month later Mr Sagar described Clitheroe as “anything other than v ib ra n t”, bu t his view was not' shared by retailers or council repre­ sentatives.


its appeal after Planning Inspector Philip Crookes granted planning permission for the store. In his sum­ mary Mr Crookes said the vitality and v iab i l i ty of Clitheroe was “unlikely to be seriously affected” by the development, with Home- base representatives demonstrating there was demand for a store selling the type of goods proposed. He added: “There would there­


fore, in my opinion, be little likeli­ hood of any materially adverse effect on the retail health of the town centre.” On the subject of the building’s


__ Speaking on behalf of established


Clitheroe department store Daw­ son’s, Mr Andrew Piatt said the only source of trade for Homebase would be from other town centre stores and that their subsequent closure would have a “detrimental effect” on the “vitality and viability” of the town centre. In May last year Homebase won


proposed design, he said there would be no adverse affect to its setting. “To the contrary, by removing a


random, disjointed and largely unattractive collection of commer­ cial s tru c tu re s the effect of the appeal development would be posi­ tive.” By January the former Rectella


buildings had gone and our photo­ graph shows demolition prior to construction now under way at the site of the new Homebase store. (B180108/4d)


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Tel; 01200442122


2 York Street Clittieroe. .


www.ttieyorkclimc.GO.uk;


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