Desborough Sainsbury's store one step closer as plans submitted

Plans for a new Sainsbury's store in Desborough have been submitted to North Northamptonshire Council - and residents can now have their say.

The supermarket giant has unveiled plans for an 11,000 sq ft shop on the northern edge of the town, next to the BP petrol station close to the Magnetic Park distribution centre.

Until now residents have faced a choice between going to a Co-op, which has a 'monopoly' on food shopping in the town, or travelling to Kettering or Market Harborough.

The company says that there has been 'overwhelming' support for the new scheme.

Patrick Dunne, Sainsbury’s property director, said: “At Sainsbury’s we continue to be committed to listening carefully to our customers and investing in what matters to them.

“It’s great to see that the local community welcomes our vision for a new Sainsbury’s store in Desborough and if the council grant permission for our scheme we’ll do everything we can to open the new store as soon as possible.”

"And it's been a long time coming - seven years after Tesco abandoned plans to build a store on the old Lawrence factory site and more than a decade after previous Sainsbury's suggestions came to nothing."

The planning application for a new store has been submitted to North Northamptonshire Council, following widespread support from the local community.

Almost 500 people responded to a survey about Sainsbury’s plans in the town during a recent consultation. Asked whether they would support improved shopping choice in Desborough, 97.9 per cent of respondents indicated that they would, while 95 per cent responded that they would support or tend to support a new Sainsbury’s specifically.

If planning permission is granted, Sainsbury’s hopes to open the store in the second half of 2022, creating about 40 in-store jobs, as well as supporting additional jobs throughout the construction phase.

The new Sainsbury’s store will be a 'best in neighbourhood’ one-stop shop which will offer a range of products to enable customers to complete a weekly shop in Desborough.

The Desborough store would also include an in-store Argos click & collect service which includes Sainsbury’s, Argos, Habitat and Tu brands.

A total of 126 parking spaces would be provided, with the new store being accessed via the existing entrance to the site on Cockerel Rise, to stop 'parking overspill' into the surrounding area.

Cllr David Howes, North Northamptonshire Council member for the Desborough Ward which incorporates eight surrounding villages, said: "I’m delighted, although not surprised, with the response to Sainsbury’s plans, which demonstrates overwhelming support from the local community.

"As one of the local councillors for Desborough, I will look to work closely with Sainsbury’s to help deliver this fantastic new store for our community as soon as possible.”

The planning application will now be processed by North Northamptonshire Council and residents can review and comment on the application here: NK/2022/0967.