Store and garden centre plan

PLANS to turn a former supermarket into a Home Bargains store have been submitted to planning officials.

If all goes to plan, the Co-operative on Bridge Road in Coalville would be transformed into a new store with garden centre, to “strengthen” the firm’s existing offer in town.

Home Bargains brand owner, TJ Morris, says the “modest” transformation would include the partial demolition of the rear of the main building to make way for the garden centre.

The site has been mostly empty for two years after the Co-op closed in 2020, with frozen food retailer Iceland, who shared the site, now occupying much of the interior floorspace.

Retailer New Life also has a space inside the former Co-op.

TJ Morris makes clear in planning documents their leases are close to expiring.

It said: “[The store] is in use as a subdivided retail unit with two occupiers on expired or soon to be expired leases. Iceland has a lease expiry in August 2023 and New Life who occupy a small part of the building have an expiry lease.”

Questions also remain as to the fate of Coalville’s existing Home Bargains store in the nearby Belvoir Shopping Centre.

TJ Morris insists its plans would create and retain jobs if approved by North West Leicestershire District Council, but does not say what that means for the existing store.

The firm also says its proposals would revitalise the Bridge Road area after the former Co-Op store’s exterior fell victim to severe litter issues and vandalism.

It says plans would take advantage of a “well-established retail destination within Coalville”.

TJ Morris said it believes its proposals “should be granted without delay”.

A decision will be made by the council at a later date.