Waitrose pulls out of 40,000 sq ft Wheatcroft Island plans

High-end supermarket chain Waitrose has said it will now not being pushing forward with plans for a 40,000 sq ft store at Wheatcroft Island in Edwalton, just outside of Nottingham.

The plans have been in doubt for some time, but now Rushcliffe Borough Council has confirmed the news despite “extensive efforts and protracted discussions” to try and encourage Waitrose to continue with the development.

The decision has been made by the Waitrose board, says the council. Waitrose will now try and finder a buyer for the site.

The news follows decisions made by Sainsbury’s and Tesco’s not to proceed with investment in Rushcliffe.

The Wheatcroft Island site

Proposals for a foodstore and four smaller retail units on the site had been submitted in applications dating back to 2014.

Leader of Rushcliffe Borough Council, councillor Simon Robinson said he was “extremely disappointed” at the news from the supermarket but said he is confident the site will still attract investors and operators.

He said: “Representatives of Waitrose have confirmed the site will no longer be pursued by the applicants.

“Despite our sustained efforts with the landowners to work with developers since the first application for the site arrived, on this occasion they have chosen not to process their application further.

“As ever though we will always look to work together with developers who can potentially bring jobs to Rushcliffe.

“We are confident we can attract other retailers to the Borough as we continue to be consistently voted the best place to live in the Midlands.”

The previous plans had included car parking, associated infrastructure and landscaping and construction of the site access on a new highway has been completed as part of the local Edwalton Strategic Allocation that is delivering hundreds of new homes.

The Council is currently considering an application for an Aldi store on adjacent land, accessed off Landmere Lane.