Retail pods and refreshment vans could be introduced at Broughton Shopping Park

New retail pods and refreshments vans could be introduced at Broughton Shopping Park to improve the experience of visitors.

The temporary structures are planned to be used to house ‘pop-up’ shops as well as a places for shoppers to have their lunch.

Broughton Unit Trust, which runs the retail park on behalf of parent company British Land PLC, said the aim was to boost the existing services on offer for a period of up to five years.

In total the units would take up a space measuring close to a thousand square metres.

In planning documents submitted to Flintshire Council, the company said: “British Land Plc across all their assets, aim to create buildings and environments which offer the highest quality of design in both form and function with engaging architecture and a fully integrated public realm.

“The ‘pop-up’ retail pod initiative is a way of looking beyond individual buildings to think about the spaces around them.

“The units provide attractive places to rest or have lunch outside while people are shopping to create a greener, more pedestrian friendly environment.

“The general principle is to improve and enliven empty or underused spaces by creating variety and interesting structures with integrated landscaping, to make their retail centres look and feel more unique and distinctive.”

The company said similar temporary units were already in existence in other parts of the retail park.

Officials added that many of the pods would be made from reused shipping containers, causing less harm to the environment than building more permanent shops.

Comments are currently being invited on the application via the Flintshire Council website.

The local authority is aiming to make a decision on the proposals by mid-September.

By Liam Randall – Local Democracy Reporter (more here).