Plans for £32m retail park rejected

Plans for a £32m expansion of an out-of-town retail park have been rejected.

Councillors voted against a proposal to build 10 shops on a site at Kingswood in Hull.

A number of city centre signed a petition against the plans, fearing approval would damage their businesses.

Developers Kier Property Group said it would appeal against the decision.

Kathryn Shillito from Hull BID, which promotes the city centre, told BBC News that approval of the Kingswood development “would be another nail in the coffin”.
“We want to keep the footfall in the city centre,” she said.

“We’re here to represent city centre businesses who have invested time, money, energy, for decade.

“Anything that claws footfall away from them is a real threat.”

Tom Gilman, managing director of Kier Property in the north, said: “We’re not trying to compete with those people.

“We’re trying to add to the vibrancy of Hull. Bring this investment, bring further jobs, bring further regeneration.”