By Carmelo Garcia – Local Democracy Reporter
Wholesale retail giant Costco could be coming to Gloucester soon as their plans for a new store in the city are up for debate next week.
Firstplan Ltd wants permission from Gloucester City Council to redevelop the former Interbrew site in Eastern Avenue and create up to 250 jobs.
The proposals are to provide a 13,109m2 warehouse club and a 18 bay petrol petrol filling station along with tyre installation and sales.
The site is designed to have 612 car parking spaces which includes 24 disabled spaces, 30 electrical vehicle charging spaces and 20 cycle places.
The plans include keeping the existing access to the site off Eastern Avenue with the creation of an access directly onto the site.
This would provide an inbound left-in lane for eastbound traffic, as well as an outbound left-out lane for eastbound traffic, developers say.
The new junction would include a central reserve and signalised pedestrian and cycle crossings.
Two extra accesses would be created along Chancel Close onto the site.
The first via a priority junction with two lane entry and single lane exit for vehicles wishing to access the car park, petrol station and service yard.
The second would provide an entry-only access to the petrol filling station.
The developer says the site would lead to the creation of 180 jobs rising to 250 jobs within the warehouse once mature, most of which would be expected to be recruited from the local area.
The proposed opening hours for the site are from 10am to 8.30pm Monday to Friday with the site only being open to trade members from 10am to 11am.
It would also open from 9.30am to 7pm on Saturdays and 11am to 5pm on Sundays with the store opening from 10am to 6pm on bank holidays.
The petrol station would open from 6am to 9.30pm Monday to Friday and from 6am to 8pm on Saturdays. If the plans are approved, it would open from 7am to 6pm on Sundays and from 6 am to 6pm on bank holidays.
Some 13 people have written in support of the proposals while one person has objected.
Those backing the scheme who have lived near Costco in Bristol say they found the store “incredibly useful”.
“I wholeheartedly hope that permission is granted for the proposed development,” one supporter said. “The development would have a positive impact on our local community.
“The Interbrew site has been vacant for a long time and whilst a couple of speculative schemes have been approved nothing has happened. The addition of a Costco will bring economic investments and activity to the city
However, there is a significant concern regarding its potential effects on parking and traffic, particularly for the neighbouring businesses along Chancel Close.
“Costco should permit customers of businesses along Chancel Close to make use of the 612 planned car parking spaces as this would alleviate potential traffic congestion in the area,” one person said.
Council officers have recommended approving the scheme. They say the construction of a Costco in Gloucester would bring a number of benefits to small businesses and the wider economy in terms of employment generation for both a skilled and unskilled workforce.
Costco can potentially make a significant contribution to the economy and, particularly to businesses that could otherwise pay a premium for small purchases from traditional wholesale sources, they said in their report.
Councillors will consider and decide whether to grant permission at the planning committee meeting on December 3.