Garden centre has ?no plans? to extend

BURNHAM could miss out on ?25,000 in developer funding after garden centre bosses revealed they have ?no plans? to carry out proposals they had planning permission granted for last month.

Residents and councillors in Burnham had been celebrating news that Sanders Garden World in Brent Knoll had been given the go-ahead to expand its building by 3,200 metres.

A new roundabout for the A38 and community funds known as section 106 money to redevelop the area totalling ?25,000 were included in the proposals.

But the Mercury can reveal the centre, owned by The Garden Centre Group, is not going to start any development in the near future, meaning the section 106 money is not going to be paid until it does.

A spokesman for The Garden Centre Group said: ?I have spoken to our property department and I can confirm that planning permission was granted from a proposal that was submitted back in 2008.

?The permission was only granted in February 2014 but we currently have no plans to carry out any work pursuant to the permission.?

Burnham and Highbridge mayor Martin Cox tried to put a positive spin on the news.

He said: ?It?s good to know that there is a possibility that it may happen in the future.

?We did get that sort of feedback, that it might be something that they keep in their drawer for future use.

?Section 106 money is usually only payable at the start of a development.

?We can?t put any pressure on Sanders, it?s up to them.?

Article Source:?http://www.thewestonmercury.co.uk/news/garden_centre_has_no_plans_to_extend_1_3400544