Supermarket bid to expand storage
A supermarket could extend its storage facilities to keep up with “current and future demand for home shopping”, if plans are approved.
Asda Stores Ltd has applied to reconfigure the online order preparation section of its 34,000-square-metre Donnington Wood branch.
A design statement, submitted by the company’s planning agent, says the change will not affect the amount of floorspace in the store and the number of car parking spaces there will also be unchanged.
In the statement, submitted on behalf of the supermarket giant, planning agent Joshua Fanthorne of C+A Design Ltd writes that the proposal is to “improve the existing home shopping facility, located to the side of the superstore”.
He adds: “This will consist of a small extension to the existing home shopping ‘pod’ to create additional storage space and a new freezer ‘pod’.
“The extension will increase the storage area where groceries, which have been picked from the retail shop floor, are collected and stored for dispatch.”
If the change is approved, the floorspace of the area would increase from 150 sqm to 210 sqm.
“The proposed works are considered an operational alteration and there is no additional retail area to the existing store,” Mr Fanthorne writes.
“The increased provision is aimed to meet both current and future demand for the home shopping offer.
“There is to be no public access to the proposed home shopping area with authorised staff and visitor access only available through the store.
“A separate planning application will follow to address the various signage consents that will be required.”
Donnington and Muxton Parish Council will be consulted about the proposal, and Telford and Wrekin Council’s planning department will make its decision at a later date.
