New housing estate with Sainsbury’s planned for village

Barwood Developments Ltd has showcased its vision for transforming the brownfield site at Loxley Park at a public exhibition.

The £84 million project will, if it gains planning permission, convert the 70-acre plot - which is currently made up of largely disused industrial and warehouse buildings - into a housing estate, with a 20,054 sq ft Sainsbury’s supermarket and 250-space car park, as well as space for industrial use and offices.

Andrew Sanderson, Sainsbury’s regional development executive, said: “Our proposed new store will improve the local shopping offer in Wellesbourne and deliver a wider choice to residents, whilst creating job opportunities and helping to regenerate a derelict site.”

But Wellesbourne resident Max Down, who went to the exhibition last week, has reservations about the idea of the village acquiring a new supermarket.

He said: “I am very ambivalent about the need for a Sainsbury’s.

“We have got a very small but highly profitable and well-stocked ocmmunity shop, which does all sorts for the community rather than just being a co-operative.”

Mr Down said he thinks that most villagers are content to travel to the Waitrose, Tesco and Morrisons supermarkets in Stratford or to the supermarkets in Leamington - while there are also two One-Stop shops in Wellesbourne.

He said: “The Co-op has been extended once before, so there is no reason why it cannot be extended again to meet the need of more people living in the village. If Sainsbury’s opened, the butcher’s, off-licence, bakery and chemist’s will be under threat. Our greengrocer’s has already closed.

“I think more housing on this site is a good idea, but we don’t need another supermarket. What we need is more infrastructure on the Dovehouse estate and a community hall and sports facility in the village to help cope with the extra people.”

To view Barwood’s ideas for the site, visit www.loxleypark.co.uk

The company is inviting feedback via the website or by emailing [email protected]

It is expecting to submit a planning application to Stratford District Council over the next month.