Earlier this month local town centre businesses got together to create an organisation opposed to further ‘out of town’ retail parks around the Scunthorpe area, they came up with a group called Keeping Scunthorpe Alive and their main focus is the aimed at the proposed development by Marks & Spencer at Frodingham Grange, the site of  Stephen H Smith’s Garden Centre.

For those who are unaware Marks & Spencer had traded in Scunthorpe Town Centre since 1932 but announced it would close its store as of 6th January 2011 with the loss of 37 jobs. However in June it was announced that the Lincoln-based Simons Group had approached the Garden Centre owners over the sale of the site on behalf of M&S who were looking to redevelope to site. Plans for the multi-million pound development on the 120,000 square foot site include Marks & Spencer taking a 35,000 square foot unit on the site, alongside other units for other national retailers potentially creating up to 200 jobs.

The Keeping Scunthorpe Alive group have set up a website and also a Facebook Group where they set out their argument against the proposed development and encourage residents to air their views. Whether pro or anti all views are welcomed and residents are asked to contribute photographs of the town centre to help build a picture of how a thriving High Street can add positivity to a town.

Reading through the comments posted by residents on the Keeping Scunthorpe Alive website it becomes clear that most peoples concerns fall into a number of areas. Firstly, as the organisations aims, the protection, interests and livelihoods of residents and businesses alike. They feel that allowing Marks & Spencer to go ahead with this development would encourage other High Street retailers to follow suit and move into the other units at the site leaving more vacant shops in the town centre.

The second areas of concern are the ecological & environmental impact of building at the Frodingham Grange site. The Garden Centre has a large duck pond with a vast array of wildlife living in and around it, the M&S plans would see the removal and filling in of the pond to allow the site to be built on. Also the carbon footprint and general air quality for residents of both the Lodge Moor & Berekely Estates is feared to be worsened due to the increased numbers of private cars and commercial delivery vehicles accessing the site. There is also at present no viable bus service for the convenience of shoppers which is usually used by the younger and older generations.

The Keeping Scunthorpe Alive organization is urging M&S to move back into larger premises in the town centre. With the closure of the TJ Hughs store on 21st August 2011 could this offer an opportunity for Marks & Spencer to move in, after all when the former college buildings were demolished at this site back in 1995 M&S was looking to build their new store there but later withdrew plans. Also with the closure of the Leisure Centre and possible demolition of Carlton Street multi-storey car park could this offer an opportunity for M&S to develop there? It would appear these options had been put to M&S but were rejected and they are adamant they want to move to Frodingham Grange.

With last months indication of an increase in ‘Footfall’ figures in the town centre coupled with the revelation that 70% of businesses takings are through passing trade and impulse buying would Marks & Spencer be foolhardy not to focus their investment there or are they prepared to let the lights go out on a town centre store permanently.

The website which went live on 10th August is said to of had over 2000 unique visitors and a poll shows 79% of people don’t want another ‘out of town’ retail park contrary to a poll conducted by the developers which showed 83% of people were in favour of it. As mentioned previously, the website also allows people to post moderated comments and asks for residents view and to contribute photographs but it fails to engage with those who have contributed.

However the website has seemed to have stagnated and failed to move on from its initial burst of life, the comments have stalled and new content isn’t forthcoming. Maybe the website & group organisers would get a better response from both residents and the developers if they were to engage or at least acknowledge peoples contributions.

The Keeping Scunthorpe Alive website can be reached through the following link;