Closed garden centre site could be turned into housing
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The site of the recently closed Ingatestone Garden Centre in Essex could be sold off to developers to provide 60 homes under the Brentwood Draft Local Plan.
The sizable plot of land, which has easy access to the A12, has been named by Brentwood Borough Council as a favourable place to build homes.
The garden centre is among more than 10 sites around the borough where 5,500 houses could be built over the next 15 years, according to the draft Local Development Plan that went out to public consultation recently.
Last week GTN Xtra carried a story reporting that the owner of Ingatestone Garden Centre, which ceased to trade suddenly after more than 75 years, could not afford to keep the doors open.
James Harding who closed the doors to the site in Roman Road suddenly and without warning on February 1, said the business was no longer financially viable.
Mr Harding, who took over the business in 2010, said: "To be completely honest the only thing to say is the garden centre has been losing money now for very long time.
“It's just got to the stage where we cannot afford to subsidise the business anymore."
The first signs that indicated the garden centre could have been in trouble was a simple note posted on the door of the centre on February 1 which read: 'Customer notice. The garden centre is now closed.'
But GTN Xtra learned this week that Ingatestone Garden Centre is part of the Brentwood Draft Local Plan, which outlines the area’s need for more housing and possible sites for new homes.
Mr Harding’s comments have led to a reaction from the garden trade.
One garden centre, which wished to remain anonymous, told GTN Xtra: “There is no problem with someone selling up and turning a business into housing if that’s what they want but why all the bullshit?
“Everyone knows that it could be a gold mine as a garden centre and was profitable before and would have been over the last few years with just a tiny bit of investment in stock and facilities. There are 60 houses going on the site, it probably values it as a building plot at £5-£10m.”
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