Stockton Council has agreed to the change of the Teesside Park unit’s ‘redundant’ use, ‘to facilitate the occupation of the unit by Warren James’

A jewellery chain is set to take over a unit at Teesside Park as council planners approved changes to former public toilets.

Warren James will occupy the unit next to Costa Coffee, according to plans greenlit this week by Stockton Council. The unit, one of several “island” buildings in the Thornaby shopping park, had been unoccupied for about six years.

It had once served as a public toilets and information desk. Stockton Retail Park Ltd applied for planning permission to change its use to retail, including a new shop front and minor external changes, “to facilitate the occupation of the unit by Warren James”.

The council’s report says: “The use for which Unit B was developed became redundant in late 2018 with the completion of the current management suite located in the south-west corner of Teesside Park, which accommodates an upgraded public information centre and toilet facility. The total floorspace of the unit is approximately 84sqm, with 67sqm to be used as tradeable retail floorspace.

“The incoming tenants, Warren James, has stores within Middlesbrough and Stockton town centres which would continue to trade and are not considered to be affected by the proposals for an additional outlet at Teesside Park. It also provides an opportunity for Warren James to capitalise on the draw of other retailers that would support them taking on an additional store whilst maintaining their Stockton and Middlesbrough town centre stores.”

The applicant argued Warren James was the “only genuine and viable interest received” in the empty unit, which contributed nothing to the park while vacant. It said the proposal would create 12 new jobs and secure investment into the area.

The council said this helped tilt the balance in favour of the plan, and it would not harm the area or have any “significant implications” on workers or visitors to the park or its other shops which would justify refusing the scheme.

The plan was approved with conditions by the council.