Morrisons wants to make major changes at Hereford shop

The national supermarket chain has applied for planning permission for a retail pod and a car valet service for its Station Approach shop.

It has not yet said what the retail pod would be used for, but it would take up seven existing car parking spaces, planning documents submitted to Herefordshire Council showed.

The prefabricated unit would be at what consultants said was a "convenient location" near the shop entrance, with signage for the pod sought in a separate advertising consent application not yet submitted.

The proposed new retail pod at Hereford's Morrisons. Picture: Whittam Cox Architects/Herefordshire Council

Consultants said: "The scheme seeks to revitalise the existing WM Morrisons car park by offering more choice to customers and generating new employment opportunities through the provision of a retail pod.

"WM Morrisons hope that the advantages of this proposal as well as the overall benefits to the local community will be supported."

For the car valet service, consultants said that would see 16 spaces lost in total.

"The car park valet pod is a prefabricated single storey unit which occupies one car parking space," they said.

"The open-air wash bay occupies eight bays and a double canopy covered prep bay occupies a further seven bays.

The proposed new car park valet at Hereford's Morrisons. Picture: Whittam Cox Architects/Herefordshire Council

"The prep bay is covered by a lightweight canopy secured to a metal frame which will be anchored into the existing car park surface."

They added new jobs would be created as a result of the scheme, and a second planning application for advertising consent for valet signage had been submitted to the council.

Planners said they will consider the three separate applications by October 11.