Plymouth Council has angered the developer of a city centre scheme by backing MEPC’s proposal to develop a factory outlet centre at Royal William Yard in the city.
A report for the local authority by Hillier Parker says Plymouth could support both MEPC’s 11,148 sq m (120,000 sq ft) scheme and the redevelopment of P&O’s Drakes Circus in the city centre which has been a council priority for many years.
But a consultant for P&O Properties accused the council of playing “a dangerous game.”
Steve Lobb of Chesterton, which is advising P&O, said: “I would like to know what effect the city council thinks the factory outlet centre will have on its number one priority in the city centre which is Drakes Circus”.
P&O submitted a revised application for a 27,870 sq m (300,000 sq ft) redevelopment of Drakes Circus last month which boosted the size of the proposed Marks & Spencer store in the scheme.
In its report, Hillier Parker says MEPC’s scheme would have an “impact on existing city centre durable goods of about 5%” by 2001. However, it warns that the catchment area could not support more than one factory outlet centre and there are two others proposed: at Broadmoor Farm in Saltash; and Victoria on the A30 in Cornwall.
EGi News 05/09/97
