LEDBURY people have until the end of this month to express views on whether the existing Homebase store, on the New Mills Industrial Estate, should incorporate an Argos section.

Planning permission is being sought for a 185 sq metre Argos "insert" within the existing building.

The Argos section would take up just over 6 per cent of the existing floor space, not including the outdoor garden centre area.

A period of public consultation, for comments to Herefordshire Council, ends on December 30, and the planning authority hopes to make a decision by February 26, 2015.

The application is by the Home Retail Group, which operates both Argos and Homebase, and the company hopes to "vary consent to allow the sale of non-food goods by a catalogue showroom retailer".

The Home Retail Group recently commissioned BNP Paribas Real Estate to carry out a search for suitable town centre sites,"either vacant or being marketed", but none were found.

For the Home Retail Group, the application is all about adapting to market conditions.

The planning statement says: "Retailing is a dynamic Industry that is constantly evolving. Existing businesses, such as Argos and Homebase, constantly have to adapt to these changes as well as the challenging retail market that has, in particular, characterised the recent economic downturn.

"Whilst there are signs of improvement, retailing remains a highly competitive sector of the UK economy. As a result, we have undertaken a review of our existing portfolio as well as our store formats to identify ways in which can improve customer convenience and provide easier access to the goods that customers require."