Portslade garden centre planning major expansion and investment
Mayberry Garden Centre in Old Shoreham Road wants to expand its premises and create a new access road which could see a right of way diverted.
It is owned and operated by Tates of Sussex and Tate Bros Limited submitted the plans back in June.
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Hide AdThe Mayberry Garden Centre is currently the smallest of Tates’ centres in Sussex, off the A259.
It offers gardening and plant products as well as a pet and aquatics shop and coffee shop.
The changes are due to be discussed at Adur District Council’s planning committee on Monday (November 8) and council officers have recommended the plans for approval.
If the planning committee agrees, the garden centre could see both its indoor and outdoor retail areas extended to the western end.
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Hide AdA new warehouse and ‘goods in’ on the southern side would allow the company to make fewer deliveries, in larger vehicles, to reduce the number of trips from its Hassocks store.
The plans could see the indoor and outdoor areas increase in size by more than 50 per cent.
A new junction is also proposed off Old Shoreham Road with access leading to the proposed warehouse.
Frost canopies which have been added over the years would be replaced with a new glass roof to link the garden centre and café.
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Hide AdThere are no proposed changes to the entrance, customer toilets or till area.
Eastbrook Allotments could go
Plans would affect the eastern third of the vacant Eastbrook Allotments, with the open air retail space, goods in yard and warehouse access extending into it.
The site was released in 2005 for business development by the secretary of state and is also subject to a planning application for a car showroom (AWDM/1032/21).
Together, the proposed car showroom and garden centre expansion could see more than £7 million in capital investment; more than 3,500 square metres of commercial space; the creation of 60 full-time jobs; more than £400,000 for the local economy; and a business rates contribution of more than £130,000.
Rights of way changes
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Hide AdA public right of way (PRoW) bisects the site, and runs north to south from Old Shoreham Road to Manor Hall Road and on to Fishersgate Train
Station. The footpath continues north, up to and beyond Mile Oak Road.
The path sits on the boundary between Adur District Council and Brighton & Hove City Council.
The proposed garden centre expansion requires a diversion of
the PRoW to the west.
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Hide AdThis could also see improvements to the route which is described as overgrown and one metre wide with no lighting.
The changes could see the path widened and resurfaced with added lighting.
West Sussex County Council says that work cannot start on the PRoW until a legal diversion is agreed.
Sustainability
Sustainability measures for the garden centre could see a 10 per cent reduction in CO2 levels.
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Hide AdThese include high standard building materials, solar panels and a rainwater collection system to be used for customer toilets and irrigation.
Reptiles and badgers were found at the site and, as both are protected species, a mitigation strategy is planned to prevent harm – including new planting.
More information
More information can be found at the Adur planning portal using reference: AWDM/1154/21.
Proposed PRoW changes can be seen here: https://docs.adur-worthing.gov.uk/NorthgatePublicDocs/02220170.pdf