Planners set to approve plans for designer village north of Grantham

A £125 million shopping village north of Grantham is set to be approved for a second time next week after South Kesteven District Council approved its local plan this year.

The authority’s planning committee will re-examine the outline plans from Downtown, at Gonerby Moor, originally approved in February 2019, next Thursday.

They include more than 100 designer outlet stores, 2,000 parking spaces, offices and leisure provision.

However, since the plans were brought back to the council Downtown has made minor amendments to how the office spaces for management staff, will be used.

Several councils, including Lincoln and Newark, have reiterated concerns that the development, along with another £100 million outlet centre by Rioja Estates at Spittlegate Level, could take trade away from town centres and high streets.

There are also worries about additional traffic.

Officers, however, have recommended approval.

They said: “The proposal would deliver significant benefits to the wider area, to Grantham and its economy.
“Although the site is located outside of Grantham to the north of Great Gonerby at Gonerby Moor it is considered to function as part of the Grantham economy and it is considered that the development of a Designer Outlet Centre at the application site would help to support and strengthen Grantham’s role as a Sub-Regional Centre.”

Richard Broadhead, Managing Director of Oldrids & Downtown said today: “We are pleased that our planning application is scheduled to be heard by South Kesteven District Council.

“This Planning Committee meeting follows the adoption of the Council’s Local Plan, which required us to update some of the planning application documents for the Downtown Grantham Designer Outlet (DGDO) development. We have worked extremely hard to complete this task with support from our professional advisors.

“We welcome the Planning Officer’s recommendation for approval which, once again, recognises the benefits of our proposed investment, including the potential to create 1,700 new jobs.

“We look forward to a successful outcome, so that we can build on our progress and deliver this important development for Grantham, and the surrounding region, as quickly as possible.”