PROPOSALS for an 18,000 sq foot Waitrose store in the heart of Evesham have been submitted to Wychavon District Council.
The supermarket giant together with developer Simons revealed the news on Tuesday (November 4) and confirmed the new store would create up to 150 jobs.
The plans would see the fire station relocate to a site next to the Evesham Leisure Centre on Abbey Road in order to provide a modern building and better training resources for fire fighters.
Waitrose and Simons, together with Wychavon District Council first brought forward plans to regenerate the site of the town’s existing fire station and Old Brewery Car Park at the end of last year.
The planning application followed a public exhibition at Evesham Town Hall last November. Of the 704 feedback forms received, nearly 88 per cent of Vale residents were in support of bringing Waitrose to Evesham.
All new employees would become partners in the John Lewis Partnership entitling them to benefits including leisure and learning subsides, and a share in profits.
This year all existing partners received the equivalent of eight weeks’ wages in bonus so a significant proportion of profits will go back into the local area.
Waitrose Director of Development, Nigel Keen, said: “This is an exciting opportunity to bring major new investment to Evesham which can encourage shoppers to remain in the town and help it to thrive in the future.”
Jack Hegarty, Managing Director at Wychavon said: “It’s great news that we’ve reached this important milestone in the process of bringing Waitrose to Evesham.
“This plan will bring more jobs and investment into the town centre and is a key part of our plan to reinvigorate the town.”
Graeme Cosgrove, Group Developments Director at Simons Group, said: “Simons are delighted to be working with Waitrose
and Wychavon to bring forward this prestigious project which will be of huge importance to the town.”
Should the planning application be successful, construction on the new fire station will commence in spring 2015, with it open in spring 2016.
Work on Waitrose will begin shortly afterwards in summer 2016 with the shop expected to open in early 2017.
Visit www.eveshamwaitrose.co.uk for more information.
* What do you think? E-mail [email protected] with your views about the proposed arrival of Waitrose to Evesham
