Clash as council says no to Next

THE chief executive of Sheffield City Council has defended the decision to refuse planning permission for a £10m Next store near Meadowhall in spite of barbed criticism from the retailer.

John Mothersole told the Yorkshire Post that civic leaders have to “maintain an equilibrium” in Sheffield and support retail in the city centre.

“That means making decisions for the medium to long term in the broader best interests of the city,” he said.

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“If we wanted to make decisions that always pleased the person that was asking, we would be all over the place and the equilibrium would go out the city.”

Mr Mothersole said he has received letters in support of the council decision.

“Some people disagree,” he added. “We don’t like people having to disagree with us but we know that goes with the territory.”

In a recent trading statement, Lord Wolfson, chief executive of Next, praised some local councils as pro-growth and pro-jobs but said “a few remain an unhealthy mix of Luddite intransigence and incompetence”.

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He has vowed to harness the law and the full weight of public opinion to campaign for growth.

Mr Mothersole said he and Lord Wolfson are in agreement that Sheffield city centre is underperforming.

“That’s why we have this policy in place to give the city centre the space to perform at the level it’s capable of,” he added.

Responding to the Luddite criticism, Mr Mothersole said that Luddites are people who are resistant to change and say everything is fine as it is.

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He added: “I think we and Next agree that everything is not fine as it is. Sheffield city centre is not fulfilling its potential.”

He said the planning policy aims to “get to the equilibrium it does not currently have”.

Mr Mothersole said he “finds it a bit strange” that a policy designed to get the city centre up and running is portrayed as unfriendly to business. “I can see how the chief exec of that business regards it as unfriendly to his business,” he added.

Swedish retailer Ikea will be watching developments closely.

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It has been looking at opening a new store in the region and is believed to have identified a site.

Mr Mothersole said the council has been in regular dialogue with Ikea.

He added: “We are not against Ikea, just like we are not against Next. But it’s the same issue about giving the city centre the time and space to perform at the level that it’s capable of.”

He dismissed suggestions that the council is in denial over modern shopping trends as consumers shun high streets in favour of cheaper goods on the internet and days out at shopping malls.

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Mr Mothersole said: “It would be a huge mistake to say that we have to preserve city centres.

“They change. They are dynamic. Look at Sheffield city centre. We are changing its shape as we speak.

“We are moving the market from Castlegate because... the Sheffield retail offer was too long and too thin for the way people shop today.

“It clearly worked for many decades, but it doesn’t work any more.”

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He said the most successful city centres offer a broader experience including public realm, street culture, food and drink and shopping. He added that Sheffield city centre has these and an improving retail sector, citing The Moor, and he is “genuinely confident” that the Sevenstone project will get off the ground.

On the future of retail, a subject of much debate, Mr Mothersole said businesses will still want to position their brands in the public eye and city centres will be where they do this.

He said: “I think good city centres, of which we are and will continue to be, will be okay.

“I think niche towns, market towns or strong historic towns, will be okay; I think between the two there are going to be some difficult times.”

A spokesman for Next did not respond to calls for comment.

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Lord Wolfson said last month: “Planning remains a problem, though often more of a delay than a brick wall.

“We are actively working with planning officers, councillors and local communities to deliver new shops, investment and jobs.”

The proposed Next store near Meadowhall would sell items such as furniture, beds and fabrics along with outdoor furniture and equipment.

Next said it would create 125 jobs.

The retailer claims that the proposed development would not cause “any material impact” on confidence and is not contrary to the city’s core strategy policy.

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It said the Home store range would be “complementary to the fashion-led offer in Sheffield city centre”.

Next has been one of the retail sector’s best performers during the downturn with its diverse multi-channel offerings, including high street stores, out-of-town outlets, online shop and Directory business.

Last month, chairman John Barton said Next is doing well in difficult conditions. He added: “We anticipate another challenging year ahead, with little if any growth in the UK retail economy.”