Retail park plan aims to avoid major unit being left empty
A PLANNING application has been submitted to divide one of Inverness’s biggest retail units in two.
Hercules Unit Trust, the owner of Inverness Shopping Park, has submitted a request to Highland Council to subdivide the existing Homebase store.
It currently occupies the largest retail unit at the park and it was announced in August that it would be one of 42 Homebase stores from across the UK set to close.
It is thought around 50 jobs in Inverness alone will be lost when it shuts by early 2019. Job losses nationally are said to be in the region of 1500 after Homebase entered into a company voluntary arrangement following "under-performance of the business".
The applicant outlines that there is no demand for the store to be re-let as a single unit and dividing the unit into two would help avoid the potential for a long-term vacancy.
It is thought splitting the space would make it more appealing to potential tenants.
Inverness economist Tony Mackay said: "If dividing the unit into two makes it more attractive then that is a good move to make.
"I believe one of the occupiers is likely to be another DIY store but I do not know what the other store would be.
"The main problem for the retail park has been the increase in online shopping. This has been the same problem for retailers in the city centre."
In light of a "city first policy" which encourages businesses to establish themselves in the city centre rather than out-of-town locations, Mr Mackay does not believe this will give the retail park an unfair advantage over more central stores.
He said: "More needs to be done about the problem of online shopping on retailers. For a store like Homebase people were likely to drive there to get whatever they needed."
The applicant suggested that despite the "centre first" policy this move would not be a problem because no new floor space is being created.
The existing floor space would simply be split into two separate retail units.
Mr Mackay said: "It is not the type of store you would be likely to find in the city centre. I would be surprised if the council were to reject this application."
Mike Smith, manager of the Inverness Business Improvement District (Bid), does not support the proposal.
"In my personal opinion I do not think the plan should go ahead," he said.
"One of the restrictions of the retail park was that there were only to be single units in section 42 of the Town and Country Planning Act. To divide the unit into two is going against what has already been established.
"This is my opinion within my role as manager and not that of Bid. I would consider submitting a formal objection to the Highland Council but I would first establish the wider views of Bid before deciding the most appropriate action to take."
Providing the planning application is accepted, the two new retailers would still occupy a considerably large space.
The applicant recognises that the potential new occupiers would still have a larger floor space than the other existing retail units nearby.
The proposal suggests that a long-term vacancy would have a negative impact on the "vitality and viability of the commercial centre."
Chief executive of Inverness Chamber of Commerce Stewart Nicol agreed that dividing the unit into two would be a wise move.
He said: "I think it would be a sensible and pragmatic approach to take."
