The Range in Hartlepool set to start selling food and drink as plans go in

Proposals have been lodged to Hartlepool Borough Council planning department for the store at Teesbay Retail Park to create space in the existing shop to sell a range of food and drinks items for customers to take home.

The plans, submitted by The Range Head Office, state they want to use up to 250 square metres of the existing site to provide the goods.

A planning statement on behalf of the applicant said they should be allowed to make the modification to the store after permission was granted in 2009 to remove previous restrictions over floorspace and what could be sold.

It said: “A certificate should therefore be granted in the terms sought.

“The Range is introducing a limited amount of food and drink goods for consumption off the premises.

“The area used for the sale of food will be comprised of the following main elements: freezer cabinets, two chiller cabinets selling a limited range of perishable items including cheese, meat and dairy products.

“[It will also sell] a range of ambient, non-perishable tinned and packet goods and a small selection of non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages.”

A limited range of household goods such as soap, toilet rolls, toothpaste, and similar products will also be sold in the same area, according to the plans.

The newly designed space offering the food and drinks will represent around 6% of the gross floor area of the store which comprises 4,330 sq.m, including the garden centre.

Teesbay Retail Park also includes stores such as Aldi, Lidl and Iceland selling food, but plans note all three stores are currently operating at their maximum size in terms of retail space.

The Range is one of the fastest growing chain retailers in the UK and sells home, garden and leisure products, including furniture and kitchen equipment.

A decision is expected to be made on the proposals by the council planning department in the coming weeks.

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