Condition is lifted to attract new occupier

PLANS have been approved which could soon see a new business take up residence in the former home of a DIY giant in Burton.

Focus

Documents posted by East Staffordshire Borough Council’s planning department have revealed that the site of Focus DIY, in Horninglow Street, could be set for new occupants in the next few months after a planning application for a new retail unit was given the go-ahead.

Friends Provident Life Assurance Limited, a pension company, is behind the application and it is believed that the group is looking to develop the site in an effort to find an interested party.

A previous condition for the development ruling out the sale of food and convenience goods has been removed.

This decision was made after officers decreed that the site was ‘located within the defined Burton town centre retail area and therefore there was no requirement for the condition restricting the sale of food and convenience goods to be retained’.

There were also no issues raised in relation to the external appearance of the building, neighbours, highway safety or flood risk.

Focus DIY went into administration in May last year and as a result, the Burton store closed.

Friends Provident Life Assurance Limited had previously attempted to attract new companies to take up residence but due to current economic pressures in the non-food retail market, no interested party could be found.

Interest has since been expressed from Family Bargains — part of the 99p stores group — but it would only consider the premises further if the restriction on the range of goods which could be sold was scrapped.

This was one of the driving forces behind the applicant’s move to remove the restriction with regard to the sale of food.

A design and access statement for the site stated: “The proposed plan will facilitate the re-occupation of the unit, resulting in town centre investment, bringing the unit back into active use and creating additional job opportunities for local residents.”