Council boss: Chelmsford will thrive regardless of rivals

Chelmsford Borough Council's planning boss believes that the opening of the new Westfield shopping mall in Stratford will not prevent the town from continuing to thrive and grow as a retail centre.

The town was boosted this week by news that a new £100 million retail development - including a brand new John Lewis department store - has been given the final go-ahead by the borough council's planning committee.

Cllr Neil Gulliver is enthusiastic about the future prospects for shoppers and workers alike in Chelmsford, regardless of retail choices elsewhere in the south-east.

Not concerned by the competition

Although three of the biggest shopping centres in the country - Westfield Stratford City, Lakeside and Bluewater - are within travelling distance, Cllr Gulliver maintains that Chelmsford can continue to increase its market share in the region.

He said: "Whenever we've done surveys, most Chelmsford residents have told us that they don't really like Lakeside and prefer travelling over the water to Bluewater because there is a better quality of shopping available there.

"With the development plans in place here, we can hopefully emulate that experience and offer a similar quality of shops."

Although the new Westfield centre at Stratford is only a short 20 minute train journey away, Cllr Gulliver is confident that shoppers will continue to opt for Chelmsford as their regular shopping destination.

"There's no doubt people will go to Stratford for a day out, but there's a limit to how much shopping they will be prepared to carry back with them on the train."

It's a quick and easy trip from Chelmsford to Stratford by train, but Cllr Gulliver believes the town will continue to hold its own (Credit: tomylees)

He said that this consideration was a major factor in John Lewis' determination to open a new branch of their department store in Chelmsford.

"If someone wants to buy a 32 inch flatscreen TV, they want to be able to pop it straight into the back of their car. The fact that we offer easy town centre parking gives us an important advantage."

'Wait and see' on city status

Chelmsford has made numerous bids for city status in the past, but Cllr Gulliver is relatively relaxed about the town's prospects of realising this ambition in the near future.

He said: "Chelmsford will continue to grow and thrive regardless of the city status bid. It would be a nice thing to get but it won't hold us back."