Ruddington will soon have its own ‘Amazon Locker’ if plans submitted on behalf of the Co-operative Food Store are given the go ahead.
A design and access statement has been prepared by Bowman Riley Architects in support of a full planning application to install the new external locker at the side of Ruddington Co-op – in the Parish Council’s Church Street Car Park. Amazon ‘Hub’ Lockers are secure, self-service kiosks where Amazon.co.uk shoppers can pick up packages they’ve ordered online 24 hours a day at a location convenient to them.
If the plans submitted to Rushcliffe Borough Council are approved, this facility would be the first of its kind in our village. Although the Co-op, Post Office and The Grange have already served as delivery points for parcels in the past, none has been accessible 24/7.
The Co-op’s ‘Statement of Community Involvement’ says: “This application will benefit the operational flow of the current retail unit on the site. The development plays a role in supporting strong and vibrant communities. This will be achieved by improving the quality of the existing site and providing an improvement to the conditions of the site and operational context of the site.”
However, this proposal could prove unpopular with some independent retailers in Ruddington – who’re facing a constant struggle against the ever increasing trend towards internet shopping. Initiatives such as the Ruddington Loyalty Card Scheme and Ruddington Village Market have been launched by Ruddington Village Centre Partnership (RVCP) during the past year to try to encourage residents and visitors to shop locally. Nevertheless, at least the new Amazon Locker would mean anyone collecting parcels having to venture into our village centre in order to do so.
Anyone who wishes to comment on this application (19/01801/FUL) is now being invited to do so, as soon as possible, via Rushcliffe’s online planning portal >>HERE<<.
UPDATE 19th September 2019:
Rushcliffe Borough Council has announced planning approval is granted for the above.
The permission notice says the development must be carried out within three years – and strictly in accordance with the plans shown on the documents submitted by Bowman Riley Architects on 31st July 2019.
{Our thanks to Craig Baum for alerting RUDDINGTON.info to these plans and to the subsequent decision above.}
