Delay hitch hits £7m Bacup supermarket

3:14pm Monday 18th June 2012 in News

WORK on Bacup’s new £7million Morrisons supermarket will not begin until September — four months behind schedule.

Architects at Race Cottam Associates, working on the store on behalf of Morrisons, said that Rossendale Council has still not vacated the site and therefore demolition work had been delayed.

But leader Alyson Barnes said they were not to blame.

She said that a hold-up in the transaction of the land was the reason for the postponement of work that was due to begin in May.

The council currently has a waste unit at nearby Henrietta Street and has been waiting for cash to be released to build a new depot.

She said: “In a situation like this the complexity of several ownerships means site acquisition is a difficult process.

That completion of that deal is imminent and the council is certainly not to blame for this.” Paul Nolan from Nolan Redshaw Chartered Surveyors said all demolition work needed to be done in one go.

He said: “We are chomping at the bit to start work but we had hoped it would be a bit sooner than September.

“This demolition can’t be done in stages.

“We’ve made the commitment and were hoping to start something in July or August.”

Stuart Sugarman, an executive director at Rossendale council said there were ‘justifiable reasons for the delay but not on the council’s part’. It is thought that the 2,020 sq metre store, which is due to open on the site of the former Horace’s nightclub in January next year, will create around 110 jobs.

The development in Lee Street has been touted since 2006 and permission was finally granted in March this year.

The deal originally hit a stumbling block when it was revealed the Co-op held a protective covenant stopping another major retailer from using the land off Lee Street and Gas Street.

Council chiefs were forced to step in and use their compulsory purchase powers to buy the land, remove the covenant and sell it on to Morrisons.

Comments (10)

3:15pm Mon 18 Jun 12

Stuart Farquar says...

Love Morrisons LOVE the place. I wish we had one in Burnley.
Love Morrisons LOVE the place. I wish we had one in Burnley. Stuart Farquar

4:27pm Mon 18 Jun 12

Izanears says...

Morrisons is a great supermarket. Glad we have one in Nelson,
Morrisons is a great supermarket. Glad we have one in Nelson, Izanears

5:08pm Mon 18 Jun 12

braybill says...

As usual,if it is anything that will benefit or improve Bacup the council drag their feet. If it was to be built in Rawtenstall it would be built and trading by now,
As usual,if it is anything that will benefit or improve Bacup the council drag their feet. If it was to be built in Rawtenstall it would be built and trading by now, braybill

6:54pm Mon 18 Jun 12

bluebouy says...

sounds like the council did morrsions a big favor helping them out with the land now morrisons are are stabbing them in the back, nice company
sounds like the council did morrsions a big favor helping them out with the land now morrisons are are stabbing them in the back, nice company bluebouy

8:14pm Mon 18 Jun 12

spendmymoneywisely says...

As I recall Morrisons had threatened to pull out of the deal if Co-op insisted on enforcing the covenant. It was the Council's own idea to become involved as it didn't want to lose the supermarket & have the Travellers come back on the site. Rossendale Council doesn't do any one any favours
As I recall Morrisons had threatened to pull out of the deal if Co-op insisted on enforcing the covenant. It was the Council's own idea to become involved as it didn't want to lose the supermarket & have the Travellers come back on the site. Rossendale Council doesn't do any one any favours spendmymoneywisely

8:14pm Mon 18 Jun 12

spendmymoneywisely says...

As I recall Morrisons had threatened to pull out of the deal if Co-op insisted on enforcing the covenant. It was the Council's own idea to become involved as it didn't want to lose the supermarket & have the Travellers come back on the site. Rossendale Council doesn't do any one any favours
As I recall Morrisons had threatened to pull out of the deal if Co-op insisted on enforcing the covenant. It was the Council's own idea to become involved as it didn't want to lose the supermarket & have the Travellers come back on the site. Rossendale Council doesn't do any one any favours spendmymoneywisely

8:22pm Mon 18 Jun 12

spendmymoneywisely says...

Incidentally how can Council say it is not to blame for current delays when Council Leader has acknowledged that it hasn't vacated Henrietta Street because it is waiting for money to build an alternative? If you sold your house & then tried to delay moving out you would be charged money for every day of delay. It appears that Council are in breach of an agreement & are trying, as usual, to hoist blame elsewhere - probably onto LCC.
Incidentally how can Council say it is not to blame for current delays when Council Leader has acknowledged that it hasn't vacated Henrietta Street because it is waiting for money to build an alternative? If you sold your house & then tried to delay moving out you would be charged money for every day of delay. It appears that Council are in breach of an agreement & are trying, as usual, to hoist blame elsewhere - probably onto LCC. spendmymoneywisely

8:51pm Mon 18 Jun 12

GAC says...

ahh RBC. they do talk some rubish.

"The council currently has a waste unit at nearby Henrietta Street and has been waiting for cash to be released to build a new depot."

that unit was sold at the end of 2010, and the mechanics in it should have moved out last summer. but yet again RBC have faffed about and are unable of doing anything without it going through a few comitee's so no one person actually has to make a choice on such matters and risk there cushy office job.

at this rate morrisons maybe open for the end of next summer if we are lucky.
ahh RBC. they do talk some rubish. "The council currently has a waste unit at nearby Henrietta Street and has been waiting for cash to be released to build a new depot." that unit was sold at the end of 2010, and the mechanics in it should have moved out last summer. but yet again RBC have faffed about and are unable of doing anything without it going through a few comitee's so no one person actually has to make a choice on such matters and risk there cushy office job. at this rate morrisons maybe open for the end of next summer if we are lucky. GAC

6:57pm Tue 19 Jun 12

bammy1971 says...

GAC wrote:
ahh RBC. they do talk some rubish.

"The council currently has a waste unit at nearby Henrietta Street and has been waiting for cash to be released to build a new depot."

that unit was sold at the end of 2010, and the mechanics in it should have moved out last summer. but yet again RBC have faffed about and are unable of doing anything without it going through a few comitee's so no one person actually has to make a choice on such matters and risk there cushy office job.

at this rate morrisons maybe open for the end of next summer if we are lucky.
Just read what you said, so is the waste depot moving totally?? Please make my day and tell me it is :)
[quote][p][bold]GAC[/bold] wrote: ahh RBC. they do talk some rubish. "The council currently has a waste unit at nearby Henrietta Street and has been waiting for cash to be released to build a new depot." that unit was sold at the end of 2010, and the mechanics in it should have moved out last summer. but yet again RBC have faffed about and are unable of doing anything without it going through a few comitee's so no one person actually has to make a choice on such matters and risk there cushy office job. at this rate morrisons maybe open for the end of next summer if we are lucky.[/p][/quote]Just read what you said, so is the waste depot moving totally?? Please make my day and tell me it is :) bammy1971

11:09am Wed 20 Jun 12

GAC says...

no the yard in bacup is staying where it is, its just the yellow brick building thats being vacated (eventually).

but who knows what will happen, the way this is playing out i dont think even morrisons or the council have a proper idea.
no the yard in bacup is staying where it is, its just the yellow brick building thats being vacated (eventually). but who knows what will happen, the way this is playing out i dont think even morrisons or the council have a proper idea. GAC

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