DOUGLAS Council leader David Christian has expressed his concern at the impact that a Currys/PC World store in Spring Valley Industrial Estate would have on the town centre.
He said the council’s policy and resources committee would give the planning application by Isle of Man Development Company and Dixons Retail Plc, to build an internal mezzanine floor and increase retail floorspace at a unit, a ‘thorough going through’ at its next meeting.
‘It could give more competition,’ he said. ‘But I do feel that big stores have so much buying power we could see other stores disappear. I accept that’s business but you then get into the scenario that there’s less choice and one person who controls prices. Is that good for a small island? I don’t think so.’
He added: ‘While we sometimes have to pay a bit more and there’s sometimes not the same choice, it’s an island, a smaller population.
Related story: {http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/isle-of-man-news/big_superstore_planned_for_pc_world_and_currys_1_4111971|Big superstore planned for PC World and Currys|Click to see our earlier report}.
‘Stores don’t have the same buying power but we live here because of the many other qualities of the island.’
Mr Christian said the council would consider the application with regard to the government’s Strategic Plan covering development. It states that on land zoned for industrial use, retailing will not be permitted where the items could not be reasonably sold from a town centre location because of their size or nature.
In addition, it must be demonstrated that sales would not detract from the ‘vitality and viability’ of the appropriate town centre shopping area.
He said the council’s view would depend on what proportion of goods sold were bulky items. But he added: ‘It’s a difficult one. You have to look at the current town centre and be realistic.
‘Are there sufficient larger premises that could take on a store of this size? The answer is probably not.’
The policy and resources committee objected to an application in relation to Next plc opening a Next Home on the same unit, with 25 per cent of the store dedicated to children’s wear.
It believed that if the application was approved it would set a ‘dangerous precedent that could ultimately lead to a growth in out-of-town retailing of non-bulky goods, despite there being a business policy in the Strategic Plan aimed at preventing it’.
An application by Roger Tym & Partners, acting on behalf of Next plc, is pending for a certificate of lawful use or development to confirm the type of goods it could sell from the site.
The agent for the Isle of Man Development Company, which owns the industrial estate, has said Dixons is due to take over the unit subject to the completion of legal arrangements.
Currys’ range includes TVs, washing machines and cookers. PC World sells laptops, desktop PCs, iPads and accessories.