People in Lichfield will have the choice of clocking up or burning off calories when an empty Argos unit is redeveloped.
Plans have been passed by Lichfield District Council to subdivide the unit to create space for a KFC and another takeaway on the ground floor and a gym on the first floor.
The unit at Three Spires Shopping Centre has been vacant since Argos closed in April 2021. Shoppers were directed to its Tamworth branch, which has since relocated into Sainsbury’s.
A planning report states that despite marketing, no retail uses have come forward to utilise all, or part of the space provided across the ground and first floor.
It adds: “A range of services and facilities should be offered both in urban and rural areas. On balance, given the lack of interest for a retailer to take on this large vacant unit in the last two years, the proposals, which constitute a recognised town centre use would integrate well with surrounding uses.”
The new KFC will have 46 internal covers and an outdoor seating area for 12 covers.
Alterations to the Gresley Row site will include a new separate entrance to access the first floor and new rear doors.
Some objections to the plans were submitted, some around fears of noise from a large extraction unit which KFC would need.
But further reports say that revisions have been made to the original plans and the council’s Environmental Health Team have confirmed they are satisfied that the extraction system for the KFC unit proposed will be sufficient for the business use.
Discussions are said to be “ongoing” regarding the second new unit, with the only interest being from “hot food takeaway uses”.
