Asda plans to open first convenience store in Durham
The supermarket giant has identified a location at the Mount Oswald development, and a planning application has been submitted for its construction.
If approved by Durham County Council, the 3,000 sq ft Asda Express store will be located on The Drive, opposite South College and close to the Howlands Park and Ride.
The store is part of the North East employer, the Banks Group’s, development plans for the area.
The plans also include purpose-built student accommodation above the retail space, which has been designed by Gradon Architecture.
A computer generated image of the Asda store planned for Durham (Image: Supplied)
This includes a mixture of 92 studio apartments and shared flats that are designed for mature students and come with their own dedicated parking spaces.
Construction of the Durham city convenience store could begin later this year if the plans are granted approval, with the store expected to create up to 17 new jobs.
Asda’s ongoing expansion into the fast-growing £40bn convenience and £60bn food-to-go market remains a ‘key pillar’ of the retailer’s strategy.
Asda Express stores stock up to 3,000 branded and own-label products to suit a broad range of customer needs including ‘top up’ shops for essential items such as milk and bread, grabbing lunch on the go or cooking dinner from scratch.
Helen Cullen, acquisition manager for Asda, said: “We’re always looking at new opportunities to serve local communities, so we’re delighted to be working with the Banks Group to bring an Asda Express convenience store to Durham City.
“This is an exciting development for us to be a part of, and we look forward to catering to a broad range of customer needs.
“We’re confident that residents will enjoy the convenience of having Asda’s quality and low prices on their doorstep for years to come.”
The Banks Group has been progressing its comprehensive development proposals for Mount Oswald since they were first approved by Durham County Council over a decade ago.
It was designed by Banks in support of the county council’s vision of Durham city acting as a ‘driver of economic growth in the county’, and now includes around 290 completed properties that have been built by David Wilson Homes and Bellway Homes.
John Ruddick, principal development manager at Banks Property, said: “We’ve always envisaged this part of the Mount Oswald site as being perfect for retail use and we had a lot of interest in it from many of the UK’s best-known retailers.
“Asda showed huge enthusiasm for opening their first Durham city store at the Mount Oswald site and we’re extremely pleased to be working with such a well-known and respected brand.”
Award-winning Gradon Architecture is the lead designer and architect on the new project.
Managing director Graham McDarby said: “We are proud to be playing a key role on the Mount Oswald site.
“Currently working with Banks on several projects, this project showcases our architecture and experience in this sector and demonstrates our commitment to the region and our North East heritage, in addition to the range of diverse overseas projects we are currently working on.
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“This plot responds positively to the adopted Mount Oswald Durham Masterplan and provides a strong, high-quality gateway to the overall development, despite challenging topographical and ecological factors.
“This project has been in the making for over three years and it is now extremely satisfying to see it coming to fruition, testament to the resilience of our own business and that of Banks.
“We now look forward to seeing the project become reality on site.”