Riverside is good to go

A new planning application for the Bowyers or 'Innox Riverside' site in Trowbridge was considered by the planning committee on February 13th. Planning officers recommended permission, with a total of 47 conditions and a legal agreement. Councillors overwhelmingly backed the proposal. However because the government doesn't trust local people to make decisions on this type of application it had to go to the Men from the Ministry to decide whether or not they wanted to call it in for ministerial consideration.

They concluded that wasn't necessary, so after a delay of two months the permission has now been issued.

Agenda from Feb 13th.

The application was for "Demolition and alteration of existing buildings and structures for a comprehensive redevelopment of the site comprising a food store (Use Class A1), non-food retail units (Use Class A1), leisure floorspace (Use Class D2), food and drink floorspace (Use Class A3/A4), and associated petrol filling station (sui generis) together with associated car parking, new access and landscaping." There are also applications for the works to listed buildings, and for a realignment of the Stallard Street frontage wall.

Prorsus have said that as with the previous scheme which was refused by Wiltshire Council a Morrison's supermarket would be the anchor development, with a pub, restaurant and cafes. In order to fit in with what Wiltshire Council wanted there would be no cinema, but there would be a leisure centre. There would also be a petrol filling station and about 500 parking spaces, and two large retail units.

Prorsus have appealed against the previous refusal, which they still see as their first preference.

Planners believed that any attempt to run two multi-screen cinemas in Trowbridge would be doomed to failure. The earlier scheme was also seen as being a threat to the existing retail centre of the town. However Prorsus and their partners Cineworld disagreed, saying they would still build the cinema if they got planning permission despite the St Stephens Place Odeon being under construction and due to open in October.

The filling station was popular with councillors and the public but was pulled from the original scheme because of the difficulty of fitting it in around the listed buildings on the site frontage. Petrol prices in Trowbridge are higher than in surrounding towns because of the near-monopoly enjoyed by Tesco.

Details of the new planning application are on the WC website, reference number W/12/02299/FUL. See also the scheme site at www.innoxriverside.com