Co-op to double shop size

THE Co-op's Vazon Locale is to undergo a major 60-week redevelopment. The work will modernise the existing store at Rue des Goddards and double its size.

Some neighbours have expressed support for the project.

The company says it will try to keep disruption to a minimum during construction.

'It is a very useful and convenient shop for the neighbourhood as it is and if they intend to extend the services, it is great news,' said 24-year-old Natalie Davy, who lives up the road and uses it twice a week.

She said people living closer might be unhappy with the building work, but when complete it would greatly enhance the area.

The development will transform the site by extending the existing granite building from 52 to 124ft.

This extra space will be used to introduce a dedicated produce section, an in-store bakery and considerably more refrigerated units, develop a feature corner for beers, wines and spirits and install an internal ATM.

The car park will also be modified, with a new entrance to the side.

It will be a three-stage operation planned to enable the shop to remain open throughout.

Caroline La Touche, the manager of Smilers, which is opposite the Co-op, said neighbours were generally in favour.

'I think they will do the best they can to limit disruption as it is a busy shop and they won't want to harm their own business. But we won't know the real impact until the work starts,' she said.

That is due to be on Monday and it should be completed by the end of March 2007.

'It is going to be a super development and we are delighted to be on site with an excellent main contractor,' said Co-op chief executive Allan Smith, who has been planning the expansion since it bought the store from Peter Langmead in 2002.

Digby Gibbs Associates has designed the new building and R. G. Falla and specialist sub-contractors will undertake the work.

Mr Gibbs has lived locally for 19 years and has designed all the Co-op's building projects in Guernsey and Jersey since then.

Most recently these have included the St Martin's and St Sampson's rebuilds and L'Aumone Service Station.

'The main challenges of the design at Vazon were to keep the shop open throughout the development and ensure the state of the art modern extension fitted with the traditional style of the front,' he said.

Mr Gibbs said many factors had been incorporated into the design to limit noise pollution and lessen the visual impact of the development.

The plant room, which powers the refrigeration units, will be acoustically surrounded. The goods bay will have a specially designed timber-log boundary wall to reduce noise levels and the refuse area will be enclosed.

R. G. Falla director Richard Travers said that with any building site there would be extra noise and traffic. But neighbours would be notified well in advance of any significant disruption.

Mr Smith said he understood how neighbours could be concerned about the potential impact of a 60-week development.

'The local community is at the very heart of this development and we will continue to work in partnership with the people of Castel to provide the very best facilities with the minimum of fuss and disruption.'

He said it was a very exciting project. The new store would be able to serve the needs of the local community and its visitors.

'This development will also provide new job opportunities as, upon completion, there will be about a dozen vacancies, with an extra workload totalling approximately 300 hours a week.'