COLCHESTER’S biggest retailers have joined forces to fight plans to create a shopping and leisure village on the outskirts of Colchester.

The Tollgate Partnership wants to build Tollgate Village featuring a cinema, shops and restaurants on 20 acres of land at Tollgate in Stanway by 2018.

But now objections to the proposed scheme have been sent to Colchester Council by leading businesses which say they are concerned the plans would do “irreversible harm” to the town centre.

The owners of shopping centres Culver Square and Lion Walk and Red Lion Yard, along with department store Williams&Griffin have also all opposed the plans.

Colchester Retail/Business Association is also objecting on behalf of a range of independent businesses.

It is concerned the out-oftown development, if approved, will take shops, shoppers, trade and jobs from the town centre and also block a pipeline of investment worth tens of millions of pounds.

Hugo Fenwick, owner of Williams&Griffin, said: “We learnt of the opportunistic Tollgate Retail Park planning application with dismay.

“Colchester’s culture and heritage has a special and successful relationship with the commercial heart of the town centre and it is absolutely vital this is protected.

“An enormous out of town Tollgate Retail Park would fatally undermine the vibrancy and prosperity of Colchester town centre.”

The outline scheme was put to the public during a two-day consultation in December and the developers behind it said they had received overwhelming support.

Of the 569 people who took part in the consultation, more than 86 per cent said they would support the development.

The partnership previously emphasised the development is not about taking trade away from the town centre, which Colchester Council has identified as a priority.

Exact details, including which stores are on board and exact building sizes, will be finalised later in the planning process.

They will include a 1,300- seat cinema, more than 1,000 square metres of cafe and restaurant space, about 7,000 square metres of retail space and a five-level car park with space for 1,500 cars.

We believe our plan will be a major boast

JAYNE Gee, a director at Tollgate Partnership, said: “We are a local, family-run company and it has never been our wish Tollgate Village would clash with the town centre.

“We have not been approached by representatives of the town centre business, but would welcome the chance to meet to allay their concerns.

“We believe Tollgate Village will deliver major economic benefits to Colchester. It is one of the fastest growing boroughs in the UK and needs additional facilities.

“Stanway is identified as a growth area and Colchester Council recognises there is a need for additional retail floor space over and above its town centre requirements, which our scheme is intended to meet. We are keen to support the borough by creating 1,000 jobs, bringing an estimated £16.9million to the local economy and helping to keep retail spend within the borough.”

Tollgate Partnership says it has been discussing Tollgate Village with Colchester Council since 2011 to ensure the plans comply with planning guidelines.

It says it is surprised by the town centre business comments because the plans were subject to a public consultation last December and have been in the public domain for some time.

It points out the application is for leisure uses, such as a cinema, not just shops.

ý To have your say on the planning application go to Colchester Council’s website.