Welcome to our consultation website about our proposals for a new discount food store to serve the communities of Bedale, Aiskew and Leeming Bar.
Introducing Morbaine
Morbaine is a family-owned Property Development and Investment Group with 60 years’ experience. Since our inception in 1963, we have forged an impressive track record in delivering developments across a wide range of sectors including retail, leisure, office, industrial, warehousing and residential.
We have established long standing relationships with ‘blue chip’ companies such as Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, Morrisons, Aldi, Lidl, B&Q, Wickes, B&M and more, many of whom are also tenants within our portfolio.
Our proposals
We are currently developing proposals for a new discount food store and drive thru’ coffee shop at a site on Bedale Road. If approved, this will provide increased choice for people in the local area and reduce the distances currently being travelled by residents to undertake their main food shop. As such, the proposed development would promote more sustainable shopping patterns locally and help reduce unnecessary car journeys for those seeking greater choice and value for money.
Before submitting an outline planning application for the development, we want to explain our plans to local residents, listen to your feedback, and answer any questions you may have.
Site location
Our proposed site is located on Bedale Road, adjacent to the new housing development known as Beaumont Gate. This is currently being constructed by Taylor Wimpey and will provide over 190 new homes when completed.
The site is in an area that is experiencing substantial growth with the development of various new residential schemes which will help support the growth of the local community of Bedale.
Following an assessment of potential sites in the area and considering the ‘fine grain’ and historic nature of the town centre, we think this site presents the best opportunity for a new food store given it is available, deliverable and easily accessible to both existing and future residents of Bedale, Aiskew and Leeming Bar.
Why Bedale?
Bedale is an attractive and thriving market town which provides a range of facilities for the people of the town and surrounding area. The Market Place and historic centre has a wide variety of unique shops and facilities which appeal to the many tourists that visit the town throughout the year. This community and tourism role is also supported by small artisan food shops selling local cheese, meats, ice cream, etc which adds to the centre’s unique appeal.
However, largely due to the unavailability of units of a suitable size, the centre has a very limited supermarket offer compared to other centres of a similar size and population. Notwithstanding this, Bedale is expected to grow in the next few years as more houses are built. Beyond the existing Co-Ops, Spar, Nisa and Morrisons Daily convenience store, there isn’t another supermarket or discount food store within Bedale, Aiskew or Leeming Bar that can meet the main food shopping needs of the local population. This means that many people are forced to drive circa 14km to either Northallerton or Catterick, or still further to Ripon or Thirsk, to undertake their food shopping.
We are looking to stem this need for travel and build a new food store to meet the sustained local demand, and we have found what we consider to be the best site in terms of size and location.
Site location (image courtesy of Bing Maps)
The proposed development
The proposed development is for a discount food store and drive thru’ coffee shop to increase the range and choice of convenience shopping facilities within Bedale.
Whilst the proposed layout is currently indicative, it is envisaged that the purpose-built food store will be positioned to the west of the site, with a floor area of 1,858 sq m (20,000 sq ft). The drive thru’ facility, located at the front of the site, is targeted to be a coffee outlet, or similar, at a size of 139 sq m (1,500 sq ft).
The plans include 157 car parking spaces, including eight disabled and nine parent and child spaces.
A dedicated screened loading bay at the rear of the store will provide easy and safe access for deliveries.
These plans, importantly, will deliver employment opportunities for local people, with the creation of around 35 full-time and 30 part-time new jobs in the store and drive thru’.
We are keen to make the store as accessible as possible including encouraging people who live nearby to walk to the store as well as providing improved/upgraded bus stops close to the store entrance. A travel plan developed for the store will also explore potential improvements that could be made to encourage both shoppers and employees to use modes of transport other than the private motor car.
Proposed site plan
Please review the artist impressions of the site in the gallery below
FAQs
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Following the public consultation, all of the feedback received will be considered before finalising the plans and submitting an outline planning application. If approved, development could begin in 2024.
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Following an assessment of potential sites in the area and considering the ‘fine grain’ and historic nature of the town centre, we think this site presents the best opportunity for a new food store. The site is ideally located given its close proximity to Bedale, Aiskew and Leeming Bar, meaning it will be able to serve each of the respective communities.
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We have excellent relationships with a range of discount food store operators. On some of our projects, we will reach an agreement with an operator prior to submitting a planning application, but on others, such as this one, we will first secure planning approval and then reach agreement with an operator.
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This will be dependent on the food store operator and local planning regulations. Opening hours for similar stores are between 7am and 10pm weekdays and 10am and 4pm on Sundays.
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In preparing for the outline planning application, we are currently in the process of carrying out a full Transport Assessment, which will consider the accessibility of the store for all modes of transport and the likely trip generation of the stores at peak shopping periods.
The assessment is based on data from other discount food stores of a similar size, which is then applied to the local area, taking on board background traffic levels and where trips will likely be diverted from.
Traffic generated by food shopping trips will already be on the road network in Bedale as everyone will currently be traveling somewhere for their food groceries. To assess the impact of our proposals on the local road network (including Bedale Road) analysis then has to be undertaken to determine where those diverted trips are likely to come from. This is currently being undertaken in conjunction with the Retail Impact Assessment.
Have your say
This consultation has now closed.
If you have any questions about our plans or would like any further information, please feel free to contact us via email:
consult@bedale-morbaine.co.uk