Former Homemaker showroom to become storage warehouse

Monday 23 November 2020

The former Co-op Homemaker showroom in Lowlands Estate will be converted into a storage facility due to there being "no retail interest" in the site.

A change of use application for the two-storey warehouse, formerly Co-Op Kitchens and Bathrooms, has been granted that will see it used for storage and distribution purposes in the future.

The building has remained empty since the Co-op Homemaker closed its doors in 2018, citing a challenging business environment. 

C T Freight Ltd & McDonald Investments Ltd applied for planning permission, on behalf of a client, for a change of use.

Pictured: The Co-op Homemaker shut up shop in 2018 as economies of scale made the business harder to keep running. 

In their approval statement, Planning said: "In support of the application, the agent has submitted a letter providing details of the previous use of the site as the Co-op Homemaker kitchens and bathroom show room with ancillary offices and storage and distribution provision (retail), and stating that, since the demise of Co-op Homemaker, the building has remained empty and there has been no interest in the site due to the changing trends in retail.

"As such it is considered the building is no longer required for retail purposes and the application proposes its reuse as storage and distribution with ancillary offices and archive storage on the first floor."

Work will be carried out inside the building in order to "upgrade" facilities, while some external changes have also been proposed, however these are not substantial enough to result in any "extensive alterations" of the building. 

Pictured: Earlier this year, long-running sports store Intersport closed its doors in the Lowlands Estate, as the coronavirus-enforced lockdown started to take hold in the island. 

"For the purposes of the planning application, it is considered in terms of amenity, that the proposed use of storage and distribution is acceptable in this location," said Planning.

"Having assessed the application against the above policies and taking into account the previous last use of the site, the location of the building and the limited works proposed (assessed under a further application), it is considered that the change of use from retail to storage and distribution is acceptable in this instance."

The retail presence on the industrial estate, which is in close proximity to the Leale's Yard site, has diminished in the last couple of years. Earlier this year, Intersport stopped running as the coronavirus-enforced lockdown started to take hold in the island.