Co-Op to be demolished to make way for new store and 14 homes in Harborough district village

A plan to demolish a village supermarket and build a new store in its place along with 14 homes has been approved by councillors at Harborough District Council.

Applicant Hazelton Homes Ltd now has permission to tear down the Great Glen Co-op in Main Street and another “derelict, part-dismantled” building which sits on the site and build a new store and homes.

As part of the development, one, three-bed detached house will be built, as well as four, two-bed houses and three, three-bed homes. The plan also sees six flats built on the floor above the new Co-Op building.

Some 42 off street parking bays are planned for the site, including three disabled bays. New access points also features in plans, from Church Road and Main Street.

While it was expected the scheme would be approved by councillors, some objections to the development were raised by Great Glen villagers. Doug Jackson, a resident who lives near the site, said: “The replacement store is to be welcomed, but is only slightly bigger than the existing store, and which is that to accommodate first floor access to flats. So the store is small, boxed in the back of the site by houses, with substandard parking and no room at all for expansion.”

He also raised an issue with the ecology of the site. He added: “Public landscaping on the site is non-existent, the trees you see on the plans are in privately owned gardens and already exist. The store should be relocated towards Church Street, a visible and accessible location, made larger with room for expansion and the terrace scrapped to allow for well landscaped biodiversity.”

In response, Lee Staniforth said on behalf of the applicant: “It should be remembered at this point this site is brownfield, it’s occupied in the main part by mainly older workshop buildings and what is not built on, is concreted over. The scheme offers betterment to this. Now I know some people may wish for more pubic open space but this is simply not commercial nor viable."

The application was approved unanimously by members of the planning committee at a meeting on Tuesday June 6.