History: More Planning Problems
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1967 saw the Rose Lane shop in its ultimate configuration when AES moved out of 1 Rose Lane and Barretts were able to organise the department store so that all the sections were interlinked, from St George's Street through to the top of the car showroom. This also gave more floor space and the Sports and Camping Department was expanded to fill this space. The early 1970's were filled with frustration and sadness. John died in April 71 just as outline plans were being made for the biggest move of all. With St Peters Street showroom in desperate need of attention two plans were made. One was to demolish the old shops at 26 and 27 and the remnants of the pre-war shop at 28 and build a new showroom; the other was to move lock, stock and barrel to a new, single 4 acre site in the Sturry Road. Neither was to happen. Just as planning permission was sought for the first proposal the two shops were listed, forbidding demolition. Meanwhile the plans for Sturry Road fell victim of a Catch 22 situation. To fund the new site all the other motor trade properties would have to be sold. However because of the planning blight on St Peters Street, which was earmarked for the northern section of the ring road, the site could not be sold for its real market value. Therefore, without the blight being removed, the planning gains of moving to a single site could not be made. The Sturry Road project floundered in early 1975 and so it was subsequently decided to develop at the Malthouse and a new PDI department was therefore constructed next to the railway. A new showroom was planned for St Peters Street, but that would have to wait another four years until the new City plan was agreed and the planning blight was removed. |
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