NEWS: £16 million Selby investment approved by councillors

£16 million Selby investment approved by councillors

30 March 2006

Plans have been approved for a £16 million investment in Selby, North Yorkshire, which will deliver new retail units, extend the Morrisons supermarket and build a new primary school.

Developers Dransfield Properties’ will be extending the town’s Market Cross shopping centre, which they purchased last year for £7 million in partnership with Ethel Austin Properties.  The development will see the construction of three new retail units totalling 28,500 sq ft, and an increase in the Morrisons supermarket from 48,244 sq ft to 71,795 sq ft.

The regeneration scheme has been designed to draw people from the town centre car park through to Market Cross and the rest of Selby town centre. 

New retail units will attract national retailers to the town and reduce trade leakage to nearby centres such as Leeds, York and Castleford.  Research by leading retail analysts CACI shows that market towns like Selby have the potential to perform better for retailers than major shopping centres.  And with 4,000 new homes currently under construction, interest from national retailers is high.

The scheme also involves
• The relocation of a primary school, replacing an old Victorian school in need of refurbishment with a state of the art purpose built facility and a 40 place nursery.
• The creation of a town centre car park with 438 spaces providing free three-hour parking.

The plans have evolved from an earlier planning application which was refused by Selby District Council in August 2005.  The initial plans suggested relocating the school to land which is currently used as a central recreation ground.  Following careful consultation with stakeholders, the plans have been changed significantly, and retain the recreation ground in its entirety.

Following the purchase of Market Cross, a £500,000 refurbishment programme has improved the centre and it is attracting a mix of retailers.  With six empty units at the time of purchase, only one is vacant now.

For further information, contact:

Public Relations Department, Dransfield Properties Ltd
Tel: 01226 360644
Email: pr@dransfield.co.uk