Cirencester shopping centre plans closer to completion (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Plans for a shopping centre at the Vygon site, Cirencester, have been approved by Cotswold District Council

2:00pm Friday 14th September 2012 in News By Ian Craig

PLANS to bring a large out of town shopping centre to Cirencester have come one step closer to completion.

At last week’s meeting of Cotswold District Council ’s planning committee, members debated the application to build a shopping at the Vygon site on Bridge Road.

Although the application had previously been permitted, it had been revised slightly to comprise four large retail units and three smaller units, including a takeaway and a restaurant.

Public affairs consultant Dan Bramwell, speaking on behalf of the applicant Martin Ridgway, said the plan would create around 90 new jobs in the town, along with a number of construction jobs while building work was being carried out.

"The development will bring significant benefits to Cirencester and there would be no adverse impact on the town centre as it would compete primarily with the large out of town shopping centres in other towns," he said.

A number of members of the committee said they were concerned about the impact of the site on Cirencester town centre, but planning officer Mike Napper said units would be occupied by stores stocking bulky goods that would not compete with shops in the centre.

He added it could in fact bring more shoppers into the town centre.

"If people aren’t driving away from Cirencester to go to the out-of-town shopping centres they’ll be staying in the town generally," he said.

He added that Cirencester Town Council had said they were happy with the revised proposal.

The application was approved, subject to conditions set by groups such as the Environment Agency being met.