Could supermarket replace fire-hit pub?

An application has been submitted to build a Farmfoods where the old Lowmoor Inn stood on Lowmoor Road.

The company is contracted to buy the property subject to planning permission being granted, which they hope can be acquired quickly so 
work can begin as soon as possible.

If given the green light by Ashfield District Council’s planning committee, it would see the demolition and 
clearance of the existing buildings with a single-storey building put in its place.

The new site would be 594 square metres of retail space with more than 41 car park spaces.

The site sits between the Army Cadet premises and an autoparts shop, while a Tesco Express convenience store is just two doors along.

In a statement from Farmfoods, they said: “The scale and massing of the development reflects the  operational requirements of foodstore and is in keeping with nearby retail and commercial buildings.

“The property is currently in very poor condition with the public house recently the subject of a fire.

“The development will provide employment during construction and then approximately 15 jobs when open and trading.

“The property has been vacant for a considerable period of time.

“It is in very poor condition.

“Redevelopment is urgently required.

Because the new store would be under 2,500 square metres , a retail change-of-use request would not be required.

However, the company expects much of its customer base to be from within a one-mile radius.

Farmfoods is a family-owned frozen-food specialist which is based in Scotland.

It has been trading since 1954 and has more than 332 stores open across the United Kingdom, including a store on Sutton’s Station Road and Mansfield’s Oakfield Lane.