Horticultural Retail

Tony Joyner of Plants Galore appointed James Whilding of Acorus, in 2007 to advise the business on a number of enforcement issues arising from the sale of nursery stock and other associated items on two of their horticultural sites in Devon.

Plants Galore produce fresh plants, which are grown and sold locally. They have become one of the biggest suppliers in the South West of plants direct to business customers and the public. With the downturn in the wholesale UK market and the influx of European imports, it was no longer competitive for the business to continue in the same manner. As a result a business decision was taken to alter the point of sale and sell direct to the public. Such an activity created a different use and intensity on the site and as such generated interest from the local planning authority.

Accepting that there has never been any intention to create a garden centre on the site with full retail status, James advised the client on how best to proceed in order to regularise the ‘retail’ use of part of the nursery site.

Following the successful facilitation of a planning application, planning consent has recently been obtained for the Plymouth site which has enabled the business to continue trading direct to the general public. Tony Joyner said “Well done and thank you James from all our family. It’s obviously very important to us”.

At the time of writing we are in the process of obtaining planning consent for part retail on another horticultural nursery run by Plants Galore, see www.pgplants.co.uk.