Radstock’s Town Councillors have voted to support the Radstock Co-operative Society’s major redevelopment of its flagship store, providing a new company Headquarters and homes as part of the plans. Whilst Councillors agreed in

principle, they did so with conditions – asking for the design of the buildings to be reconsidered.

David Norris, from Origin3, who has been working alongside the Society to create the plans, told Town Councillors that there had been maintenance issues for the store and that it was no secret that the Society had been looking at ways to rebuild the site economically, as building a new supermarket would be very expensive. Other options explored, he said, had been undeliverable, mainly due to financial reasons.

The current plans consist of two buildings, each three storeys high. The new complex will include 28 flats and 722 square metres of office space for the new Headquarters. Planning permission will also be sought at a later date from B&NES Council for 27 terraced homes on the site.

He added: “Parking is always an issue on any development, and it is striking that balance between the needs of the residents and the town. We think we have come up with a compromise.

“The height of the building has been an issue. A lot of younger people were keen to have a prominent building with offices above, as well as flats. It may not yet be traditional affordable housing, for example, it could be for staff, but the Society are very keen to do the right thing by Radstock – we think that what we are doing here is just that. We believe it provides a good scheme for the centre of town.”

Heather Chipperfield, from Radstock Action Group, said that they had spent many years fighting for the railway land, which they lost, eventually. She added: “These plans might look shiny and new, but they are three storeys high. This is a mining town with a mining heritage. We are a Conservation Area, which seems to go by the board with B&NES. We should have the same standards as Bath, like their Bath stone, which falls in with Georgian buildings. This plan could obliterate views of our mining town.”

David Norris responded: “The current building doesn’t give anywhere a sense of place. Removing that building is a plus from day one. It’s then about what works there and what is viable. We cannot build a supermarket out of Bath Stone, it’s just not viable.”

Moving that the Town Council supports the motion if Radstock Co-operative Society would be open to amending the design, Councillor Chris Dando said: “I want to support this, but do have some concerns over the detail. I absolutely agree that the existing store needs to be knocked down and rebuilt. It is critical to keep a supermarket in the town and to assist the Society in doing just that.

“But I do have concerns about size and scale. I fear that three stories will be quite oppressive on Somervale Road.

“The development will certainly be different, and that is no bad thing, and I’m glad that it has been stepped back from the road. But I do think it would benefit from looking again at some of the details, particularly the copper cladding on Building One.”

As well as setting apart the Headquarters building with the proposed copper cladding, local white lias stone is also proposed for the development.

Mr Norris replied: “Whilst this has got to work financially, we don’t want to impose anything on Radstock.”

Speaking about how the transition from the old to the new store would work, he said: “Everything will go out in a type of large, commercial marquee while the store is demolished and rebuilt.

“Traffic flow will be an issue then. I suspect the land will be sold off later to a developer for the housing element.

“The housing helps to pay for some of it. Everything else helps to mitigate the cost.”

Responding to criticism that the store would be less of a ‘super’ market and more of a convenience store, Cllr Chris Dando said it was likely that the space would be utilised better, be more efficiently stocked and reflect modern day shopping trends.

Moving the motion, Chair of Radstock Town Council’s Planning Committee, Bruce Shearn, said: “We have to move with the times, it will provide Radstock with what it needs.”

Councillors voted in favour, with one abstention.A decision is expected by B&NES Council on the application towards the end of March.