New Sainsbury’s store planned for Bonnyrigg

A new Sainsbury’s store on the outskirts of Bonnyrigg would give thousands of residents the chance to shop locally.

Developers bidding to build the new store say it will be within 20 minutes walking distance of around 7,000 people and a four-mile bike ride for nearly 50,000 locals.

Plans to build a Sainsbury’s Local at Hopefield, on the south of the town, have been lodged with Midlothian Council by CBGR Ltd.

The developer says it has a contract with Sainbury’s to bring a local store to the site, which was used as a showroom for the Hopefield housing development. And it argues that people currently living in that part of the town are not currently well served by local facilities and demand will increase with a further 1,000 houses planned for the area.

Applying for planning permission for the retail store and a second commercial unit on the site, agents said: “This application seeks planning permission in principle for a local food store (to be operated by Sainsbury’s) and an adjoining commercial unit (occupier to be identified), to serve the local shopping and service needs of residents living on the southern side of Bonnyrigg.

“The application site has a large walk-in catchment area, which is currently not well served by local shopping facilities.

“The proposals will therefore provide a valuable local service, as well as discouraging unsustainable and unnecessary car trips.

“The proposals are therefore supported by policies which encourage sustainable development and the desire to achieve ’20-minute neighbourhoods’.”

The site of the proposed new Sainsbury’s store in Bonnyrigg.

The agents estimated that the most recent local populations were 7,000 people living within a mile of the store and 49, 541 within four miles or a 10 minute bicycle ride.

They added: “These estimates are likely to be a significant under-estimate of the current and future population given recent building and the recent grant of planning permission for 1,000 new homes at Hopefield Phase 2.”

A second commercial unit proposed to be built next door to the new supermarket has not had a use identified however developers said it could be a hot food takeaway, hairdressers or other service identified as needed by the local community.

The plans are available to view on Midlothian Council’s planning portal.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​