AN electrical store owned by a UK retail giant could open in Spring Valley Industrial Estate, Douglas.
In a planning application, a company acting as agents for Dixons Retail plc and the site’s owner, Isle of Man Development Company, said the retailer had agreed to lease one of the units for a Currys store which it is expected will include a PC World section.
Next Plc already has an application pending for a homeware store – Next Home – at the unit, which is next to Pets at Home.
Isle of Man Development Company Ltd and Dixons Retail plc have applied (11/01726/B) to the government planning committee to build an internal mezzanine floor in the unit.
In the application, Morbaine Ltd, on behalf of the two companies, explained: ‘Dixons Retail plc have agreed to lease unit one for one of their Currys/PC World outlets.
‘The outlet will require the provision of a mezzanine floor of 634 square metre gross internal area.’
If approved, the work would increase the retail floorspace at the unit to 1,134 sq/m and there would be an extra 540 sq/m for storage.
In November, we reported that a Next Home could open at the unit.
It came after Roger Tym & Partners, acting on behalf of Next plc, applied (11/01594/LAW) for a certificate of lawful use or development to confirm the type of goods it could sell from the site.
In the application, which is yet to be determined by government planners, it stated that Next Plc was a ‘potential purchaser’ of the site.
The Isle of Man Development Company was granted approval in principle on appeal last year to demolish unit six on the estate, and build two retail units.
The other unit was opened by Pets at Home last month.
The application was approved with the condition that the combined retail floorspace of both units was 1,672 square metres.
The Isle of Man Development Company and Dixons Retail plc have also applied to increase the combined total retail floorspace by 94 square metres to 1,766 square metres.
Currys’ range includes TVs, washing machines, cookers, fridge freezers and laptops. PC World sells laptops, desktop PCs, iPads and accessories.
Economic Development Minister John Shimmin MHK said: ‘It is always encouraging that international firms consider the Isle of Man to be a place worthy of investment.
‘However, we continue to look with the planners at the issue of out of town retail because the government’s priority is to ensure a vibrant and successful town centre retail experience.’
Speaking about the opening of Dealz last month, he said: ‘It’s great news to see the former Woolworths sit being so heavily used by the public during the Christmas period.
‘This shows both the demand and the benefit to our community of having our shops busy in the main shopping street.
‘In Economic Development, we are very aware that the balance has to be struck between maintaining and supporting existing local businesses whilst supporting new brands coming to our island which give the public a wider choice.’ If PC World and Currys do come to the island, they will pile the pressure on home-grown companies that don’t have the economies of scale that a large group has.