Falkirk retail parks owners toying with idea of food sales at Smyths premises

Corona Vulcan Falkirk Limited, the retail park’s owners, lodged an application with the council on October 17 last year for use of Unit 25, which is listed as Smyths toy store, for unrestricted class 1 food – cold foods including sandwiches – and non food sales.

The council certified the proposed use as lawful on Wednesday, February 8.

It was stated in the planning documents the council’s original grant of detailed planning permission for the Central Retail Park did not include food retail in the description of development.

However, no planning condition was imposed limiting the use to non-food only, and the minute of agreement restricting the type of goods sold did not prohibit the sale of food.

The applicant, Corona Vulcan Falkirk, submitted supporting information “seeking to demonstrate planning permission would not be required” to retail food from Unit 25.

The decision documents stated: “It is considered to have been sufficiently demonstrated the retail sale of food from Unit 25 would not amount to development as no planning change of use would result.

"On the basis that planning permission is not required for the proposed use then the issue of a Certificate of Lawful Use (Proposed) is appropriate.”

Last summer Corona Vulcan Falkirk Ltd was granted permission to change the use of the former Mothercare premises at Unit 17 – also often referred to as Unit 4 – from a shop to a premises for “assembly and leisure”.