Amended plans submitted for new ‘Click and Collect’ and ‘dot com’ facilities planned at Eastbourne Tesco

The previously approved application sought permission to amend the existing car park so as to facilitate the installation of a new ‘Click and Collect’ and ‘dot com’ facilities within the south-eastern part of the existing car park at the Tesco superstore in Lottbridge Drove.

The updated plans, which have been issued, would see car parking spaces reduced to 408 spaces as well as the installation of additional bollards, zebra crossing and a waiting area.

The planning statement added: “The replacement ‘Click and Collect’ facilities shown on the approved plans for the appeal development are now outdated due to an increase in the number of shoppers using this offering and the improvements that Tesco have made across their estate to the functioning of these facilities since the time that the appeal development was permitted.

“To facilitate this installation, amendments to other areas of the wider car park such as the re-configuration and re-allocation of parking spaces is also proposed.”

As part of the plans, a total of 25 existing car parking spaces, 14 standard bays and 11 parent and child parking, would be removed in the south-east section of the car park.

In other areas of the car park, planning permission is also sought for removal of six parent and child bays and the installation of nine standard bays.

To the front of the store frontage, the removal of 13 standard bays and the installation of 8 parent and child parking bays has also been proposed.

As a result of the appeal development, the number of spaces within the car park would decrease to 453, equating to a decrease in 81 spaces.

The plans added: “The requirement for an upgraded ‘Click and Collect’ facility is evidence of the changing patterns of shopping habits, with increasing numbers of customers electing to use such an offering.

"Improving the facility at this Site is likely to increase the number of customers that use this facility, who would otherwise have occupied a space within the car park whilst conducting their shopping in-store.

"The new ‘Click and Collect’ facility is proposed as close as possible to the ‘dot com’ facility to maximise integration and minimise customer wait time. Indeed, this model has the flexibility to be able to offer customers the highest number of slots per hour out of all of Tesco’s different ‘Click and Collect’ models.

"This will ensure that the proposal does not result in increased traffic either within the car park itself or on the public highway.

"In summary, the proposal is considered acceptable in all technical and other aspects. It is argued that the proposal will have no adverse impacts against the existing situation. On that basis, the proposal is considered to comply with the development plan.”