The company behind Hereford’s new multi-million pound retail development says it doesn’t want high street clothing giant Next to move to a city retail park because any impact on the city centre has not been assessed.

Stanhope, which masterminded the £90 million Old Market scheme set to get underway this month, says it is worried that Next’s attempts to set up a temporary base on Holmer Road will open the floodgates to other retailers wanting to move to ‘out-of-centre’ sites.

Next has submitted a planning application to move into the former Dunelm site once its lease in the Maylord Shopping Centre expires.

The fashion giant said the move would be temporary as it was due to re-locate to the Old Market once construction finishes in 2014.

But Stanhope says Next’s planned move will “set a precedent” for unrestricted retail use outside of the city centre, adding no proper assessment of the impact on the “vitality and viability” of the city centre has been carried out.

The company also claims, in an objection letter to Herefordshire Council’s planning department, that there are many better city centre sites available in Bewell Street, Berrington Street and Gaol Street.

  • News of Stanhope’s opposition comes in the same week Property Week magazine says TK Maxx, currently in Maylord’s, and H&M, based on Commercial Street, are looking to follow Next, Waitrose and Debenhams on to the Old Market.

City stores to move out of town - read more