Retail units to be built on A52 at Donington despite opposition

Planning permission has been granted to build two new retail units in Donington, despite parish council opposition.

The shops for commercial retail will be built on the corner of the A52 Bicker Road and Church Street with car parking for 34 vehicles.

The site is currently a van sales firm and asbestos removal company.

The meeting held last night (Thursday) was told the units were not to be built with any specific applicants in mind.

Speaking on behalf of applicant Minister Commercial Property Ltd, Jake Stentiford described the development as “a massive win for the town.”

“This development is exactly what is needed to boost the vitality of the High Street and start a trend of rejuvenating retail activity and getting those vacant retail units back into use,” he said.

Donington Parish Council objected over concerns on traffic along Church Street.

Coun Jane King though said Donginton was “thriving” and highlighted the proposed new Budgens with Post Office service as one of the aforementioned retail units being filled.

“The main worry is the traffic aspect on Church Street.,” she said. “There’s been numerous complaints to Highways about that, even though they say they’ve no objection.

“It’s a really dangerous junction coming off the A52.

“We all think in Donington it’s an accident waiting to happen.”

But Lincolnshire County Council’s Highways department raised no objections to the proposal.

After a lengthy debate on the need of the units and its proximity to Donington’s High Street, councillors voted the application through.

Planning committee chair Coun James Avery said: “We have to put our capable hands in Highways. They’re the professionals and we have to take a steer based on evidence and it clearly says in the report there’s very little evidence of collisions on Church Street.”