Dobbies one step closer to first joint site with Tesco
Published: 24 February 2012
The Tesco-owned garden centre chain is planning to open premises on a joint site with Tesco at Campbell's Meadow, King's Lynn.
This will be the first time the two retailers have co-located since Dobbies became part of the Tesco Group in 2007. A planning application for the garden centre, which will incorporate an economically-friendly Garden World at the site, is currently being put together and will shortly undergo public consultation.
Dobbies says the £8m development will mean the creation of 120 full and part-time job opportunities for King's Lynn locals.
The centre says it will offer more than 10,000 plants, shrubs and trees and include extensive outdoor areas and a specialist aquatics department within an attractive landscaped environment. It will also house a farm foodhall which will offer locally-grown Norfolk produce and a 350-seater restaurant.
Dobbies' director of property Stuart Wright said: "Our King's Lynn Garden World would bring over 120 jobs to the area and will encourage an environmentally-friendly approach to 21st century living where all the family can enjoy planting and growing.
"We're also excited by the prospect of locating in the same join-site as a Tesco supermarket... Our King's Lynn development will have a sustainable timber frame structure, use natural materials and adopt a sensitive design approach.
"We will incorporate innovative environmentally-friendly and sustainable features - such as energy efficient lighting systems and extensive rainwater recycling - in keeping with out commitment to use local and global resources as efficiently as possible."
The news comes as Dobbies confirmed it had been given the green light for a £10m centre in East Kilbride. South Lanarkshire Council's planning committee approved the proposal for the 6.2 hectare site this week.
The new garden centre development is expected to generate 150 jobs, with more anticipated during the construction period.