Development could bring millions to local economy

The project to create the shop on Northside was revealed in September, when the plans were submitted.

But it takes time for the application to be registered and the documents uploaded. The plans finally went live in the last few days.

It reveals that the existing building has almost 4,000sq. m of retail space and more than 1,000sq. m of industrial. Under these plans there would be 2,166sq. m of retail.

Project architect Andrew Male, from Lovell Ozanne, said the size, scale and mass of the new building would be smaller than the existing structure.

‘[It] has been designed to suit the specific requirements of TJ Morris Ltd, trading as Home Bargains, a large UK discount retail that would like to move to the island,’ he wrote in the covering letter.

He said this represented a significant investment in the island.

The application included an investment and benefits document, which showed that the 12-month redevelopment would cost about £10m. and would see 75 construction personnel needed to work on the site.

The business would provide up to 100 jobs, with a mix of full- or part-time roles.

‘Gross value added created within the economy as a result of these jobs equates to £6.73m. per year,’ the report states.

‘Spending by workers on small purchases in and around the Bridge area would equate to circa £250,000 per year.’

It also noted that the building would be subject to tax on real property.

‘Retail would have a higher tariff compared to warehousing or industrial uses, which the site has previously been used for,’ it states.

‘TRP is an important revenue stream for the States.’

Historically St Sampson’s had a wider estuary. The Quayside site was created out of a landfill area and by 1900 was being used as a stoneyard.

By 1938 the site had been wholly developed. Quayside – a homeware shop – shut in 2015 due to the poor state of the existing building.

There are two protected buildings on the site – in the eastern and western corners. These do not form part of this application.

The plans show that the main shop would go on the western side of the site, with a secure compound and external display area to the northern side. Most of the eastern side of the site would be parking.

One granite building against the western boundary is noted as having conservation value, but is not listed. It is proposed that it be given a new roof and front door and become a retail unit.

• The plans can be viewed at https://www.gov.gg/liveplanningapplications