Plans for new Marks & Spencer food hall approved

Plans for a new Marks & Spencer (M&S) food hall have been approved.

Mid Suffolk District Council gave permission for a store to be built on land adjacent to Tomo Road and Gun Cotton Way in Stowmarket, Suffolk.

The site will also include units for two other retailers.

Philip Marsden, of M&S, said the company had been looking to open in the town for some time, and the project would create new jobs in the area.

However, some councillors feared the plans could result in a loss of trade for local businesses.

The other retailers have not been identified, but they were described as selling comparison goods and mixed goods in planning documents, the Local Democracy Reporting Service reported.

The site will have a floor area totalling 5,298-sq-m (57,027.2-sq-ft) and a large 238-vehicle car park also accompanying it.

The officer's report said the initial investment to the site was in excess of £14 million, which could act as a catalyst for further investment within the town.

Colin Lay, Green councillor, said residents had shared enthusiasm for the plans since they were first announced in 2023.

However, he said they needed to be scrutinised thoroughly to prevent oversights.

This concern was shared by a number of councillors who prompted officers to include an extra condition on increasing the number of solar panels and electric charging bays.

Green councillor Nicholas Hardingham warned the inclusion of three national retailers could be detrimental to smaller businesses.

However, councillors and officers felt the benefits outweighed the potential harm from the development.

When it came to voting, councillors granted planning permission subject to conditions with seven votes for and one against.

At the request of Sarah Manel, the committee's chairwoman, an extra condition was added to include amendments to walking and cycling infrastructure.

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