Portslade garden centre planning major expansion and investment

A garden centre in Portslade is looking at expanding and introducing a variety of other changes.
Mayberry Garden Centre in Old Shoreham RoadMayberry Garden Centre in Old Shoreham Road
Mayberry Garden Centre in Old Shoreham Road

Mayberry Garden Centre in Old Shoreham Road wants to expand its premises and create a new access road which could see a right of way diverted.

It is owned and operated by Tates of Sussex and Tate Bros Limited submitted the plans back in June.

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The Mayberry Garden Centre is currently the smallest of Tates’ centres in Sussex, off the A259.

The garden centre's proposalsThe garden centre's proposals
The garden centre's proposals

It offers gardening and plant products as well as a pet and aquatics shop and coffee shop.

The changes are due to be discussed at Adur District Council’s planning committee on Monday (November 8) and council officers have recommended the plans for approval.

If the planning committee agrees, the garden centre could see both its indoor and outdoor retail areas extended to the western end.

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A new warehouse and ‘goods in’ on the southern side would allow the company to make fewer deliveries, in larger vehicles, to reduce the number of trips from its Hassocks store.

Application site in redApplication site in red
Application site in red

The plans could see the indoor and outdoor areas increase in size by more than 50 per cent.

A new junction is also proposed off Old Shoreham Road with access leading to the proposed warehouse.

Frost canopies which have been added over the years would be replaced with a new glass roof to link the garden centre and café.

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There are no proposed changes to the entrance, customer toilets or till area.

Eastbrook Allotments could go

Plans would affect the eastern third of the vacant Eastbrook Allotments, with the open air retail space, goods in yard and warehouse access extending into it.

The site was released in 2005 for business development by the secretary of state and is also subject to a planning application for a car showroom (AWDM/1032/21).

Together, the proposed car showroom and garden centre expansion could see more than £7 million in capital investment; more than 3,500 square metres of commercial space; the creation of 60 full-time jobs; more than £400,000 for the local economy; and a business rates contribution of more than £130,000.

Rights of way changes

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A public right of way (PRoW) bisects the site, and runs north to south from Old Shoreham Road to Manor Hall Road and on to Fishersgate Train

Station. The footpath continues north, up to and beyond Mile Oak Road.

The path sits on the boundary between Adur District Council and Brighton & Hove City Council.

The proposed garden centre expansion requires a diversion of

the PRoW to the west.

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This could also see improvements to the route which is described as overgrown and one metre wide with no lighting.

The changes could see the path widened and resurfaced with added lighting.

West Sussex County Council says that work cannot start on the PRoW until a legal diversion is agreed.

Sustainability

Sustainability measures for the garden centre could see a 10 per cent reduction in CO2 levels.

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These include high standard building materials, solar panels and a rainwater collection system to be used for customer toilets and irrigation.

Reptiles and badgers were found at the site and, as both are protected species, a mitigation strategy is planned to prevent harm – including new planting.

More information

More information can be found at the Adur planning portal using reference: AWDM/1154/21.

Proposed PRoW changes can be seen here: https://docs.adur-worthing.gov.uk/NorthgatePublicDocs/02220170.pdf