Developers have asked Gwynedd Council for more time to build a new retail unit on Bangor’s out of town shopping park after the original planning permission expired.

In 2016, the local authority approved plans to replace 19 parking spaces with a new 4,605 square metre A1 retail unit at the Menai Retail Park.

Standing next to the existing Currys/PC World store, it was outlined that the unit would meet a need for more units on the outskirts of the city to market non-food retail goods, with the £450,000 investment set to create 29 direct jobs and even more construction work in order to build it.

The original application, approved in 2016, stated: “Whilst there is no named operator at this stage, it is evident that there are a number of national retailers currently looking for space within Bangor, for example Benson for Beds, Poundworld and Poundland.”

But with no building work having taken place, the original five year planning permission has now expired.

As a result, developers now have to renew their consent if such plans are to go ahead.

The supporting documents accompanying the application to extend the timescale of their plans note that the retail park was purchased by Menret Limited in Autumn 2019 but that the pandemic had “effectively prevented any market testing or marketing throughout 2020 and into 2021”.

They added: “Menret have no knowledge of any marketing of the approved unit by the previous owners, or why the planning permission was not implemented prior to their acquisition.

“The Covid-19 pandemic has impacted on shopping habits. Informed projections (Experian), anticipate the shopping patterns will normalise after the pandemic and lockdown restrictions are over.

“Regarding the quantitative need for additional floorspace, the most recent projections from Experian take account of the impact of the pandemic. There is a substantial drop in expenditure on comparison goods, but an increase in internet shopping.

“However, expenditure is projected to bounce back and whilst internet shopping is not expected to fall materially, it will not grow further at the rates anticipated prior to the pandemic.”

It’s expected that Gwynedd Council’s planning department will consider the application over the coming weeks.