Inverness Home Bargains garden centre plans firmed up
The signs are good that a proposed new Home Bargains store for Inverness will also include a new garden centre.
The possibility, raised previously, seems even more certain after an application for permission to erect new signage at the store site included details of a “Garden World at Home Bargains” sign.
Permission for the new store, to be based at the former Wickes DIY outlet on Henderson Road, was granted in December.
Home Bargains had to apply for permission for a change of use of the premises that would allow it to sell both food and non-food items.
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This was granted alongside conditions to bar it from being used solely as a food retailer and the “totem” signage application is the latest step towards the creation of the new store.
Separate plans for a new-build £5 million Home Bargains outlet in Smithton were also narrowly agreed at Highland Council’s south planning committee, also in December last year.
On that application the committee were split by eight votes each after an amendment called for planning permission to be rejected and committee chairman, Councillor Paul Oldham, used his casting vote to back the development that is expected to create around 40 jobs.
Home Bargains says the Henderson Road store will create up to 60 new jobs and agents Savills said the firm plans to retain the store already operating at Rose Street in the city centre, in a statement that flagged up a garden centre vision even then.
"The existing city centre store does not allow for an outdoor projects area/ garden centre which demonstrates the requirement for a further unit to be provided within the Inverness area,” they said.
The new Henderson Road store will utilise more than 2700sqm of vacant floor space inside the building, as well as an additional 800sqm outside.
Home Bargains recently opened a new purpose-built store in Dingwall too.
