1:31pm Monday 13th July 2009
By James Nadal
SUPERMARKET bosses say they will revitalise part of Marlow town centre after submitting an application to build a new Waitrose store.
The food giant has lodged plans with Wycombe District Council to develop the vacant Chapel House offices in Liston Road after being forced out of West Street by Sainsburys, which is taking over the lease.
The company, which has traded in the town since 1972, admitted it will have to close its current shop in West Street before the year is out.
This would affect 171 members of staff.
However, these jobs would be secured by the new store, Waitrose chiefs said.
The company hopes to convert the building into the new shop before Christmas.
More than 1,100 people supported the plans after they were displayed at the West Street premises, it said.
Concerns were raised by shoppers about the size of the new store, which initially only included the ground floor meaning it would be just half the size.
However, the proposal has been altered to includeusing the building’s first floor.
There would also be an entrance on to Chapel Street to encourage pedestrian links to the town.
Waitrose Director of Development, Nigel Keen, said: “Although we have been part of the high street for nearly forty years, we have still been overwhelmed by the support our proposal for Chapel House has received.
“The property has been vacant for more than two years and represents a logistically and commercially viable opportunity to revitalise this part of town and help secure the jobs of our Partners.
Mr Keen said the proposal "would provide a small food shop of appropriate scale for this site."
“If our existing shop is knocked down and rebuilt when our lease ends, it could cause trade to leave the town,” he said.
He added: “We would like to thank everyone who took time to share their feedback with us.
“All the comments we received have been analysed and a report on the data has been passed to the Council as part of the application.”
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