A NEW 75,000 sq ft retail park has been given the go-ahead by councillors despite fierce opposition from town centre businesses.

The ‘Gateway’ retail park will be located next to the Harvester restaurant just off the A419 in North Swindon.

It will feature one large anchor store of 30,000 sq ft with four additional medium and smaller sized stores.

As yet, no specific retailers have been identified, but it has been confirmed that the site is to be focused on ‘bulky’ goods like homeware, furniture, DIY products and some electronics, rather than clothing and convenience store items.

The bulky goods focus came about as part of a compromise following early opposition to the scheme.

As many as 50 town centre businesses signed a petition calling for the rejection of the proposals and the council’s own development arm, Forward Swindon, warned that approval could harm regeneration plans.

Alan Shepherd, chairman of Forward Swindon, said: “If the Northern Gateway development proceeds it will draw footfall from the town centre, further depress land values there, and reinforce investor perceptions that Swindon does not care about its town centre.”

The town centre’s position in the ‘VenueScore’ retail performance rankings has fallen from 55th in 2007, to 65th in 2010 and now down further to 72nd.

It was described as “vulnerable” by a number of high profile objectors in this latest application

Those tasked with marshalling its recovery fear that another out of town retail park will only make the task more difficult.

An assessment of the likely impact of the new complex estimated that in 2021, it could divert around £5.37m from the town centre and £2.68m from the nearby Orbital.

But those behind the 'Gateway' scheme say it will deliver £17.5m of investment and more than 100 additional jobs to the area.

However for residents of North Swindon, an increasing number of whom rarely use the town centre given the success of the Orbital, the new retail park will be another welcome addition.

It also received support from adjacent businesses Aldi and David Lloyd Leisure, with the former saying it would “complement their retail offering in this location which has been left undeveloped for many years.”

Borough councillors Mary Friend and Vera Tomlinson, in whose ward the site sits, also offered their backing.