Farmfoods to open new store in Consett after plans approved

A planning application by retailer Farmfoods to build and open a new store in Consett was approved by Durham County Council’s planning committee on Thursday (November 28). 

The new development will be built on vacant land at Ponds Court in partnership with local developer Project Genesis. 

Angela Sterling, county councillor for Delves Lane, welcomed the plans to improve the site. “In my view, not only would this bring a lovely shopping amenity and jobs but it would finish off that whole area rather nicely,” she told the meeting. “It’s the only real bit that is still undeveloped.”

The area (outlined in red) where the new Farmfoods store will be built (Image: Google)

The site was historically part of the Consett Iron Works, which housed cooling ponds and sidings. The site remained in industrial use until approximately 1980 when it remained unused and vacant. 

A feasibility study of the proposal concluded it would have a “very limited” impact on the town centre and that trade would mainly be drawn from the adjacent Morrisons and Tesco outside of the town centre.

Plans for a 65-room hotel and function suite were approved for the site in 2017 but construction stalled and the planning permission has now lapsed. 

The new store will be flanked by a McDonald’s drive-through and Franks flooring shop.

Councillor Alex Watson, of Consett North, said: “It can do nothing else but enhance the area. It will help with regeneration and boost footfall. It complies with all the policies, so I’m very happy with the development. It will boost the whole economy.”

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A joint statement from Farmfoods and Project Genesis said they have “worked proactively with the council to bring forward this proposal for the development of a vacant site well located and accessible from Consett town centre and the wider settlement.”

It added: “The proposed food store will not harm the vitality and viability of Consett town centre as; [it] is a specialist retailer of frozen foods; their range of non-frozen food goods is limited by comparison to other food stores; the proposed development will bring new investment to Consett.”

Planning committee members unanimously approved the planning application.