Royal grocer Waitrose in battle with Burnham ally over £100m taxpayer-backed spa town redevelopment

By RICHARD MARSDEN, GENERAL REPORTER Published: 14:25, 24 August 2026 | Updated: 14:27, 24 August 2026 Middle class grocer Waitrose has joined hundreds of locals in a Georgian spa town fighting £100m redevelopment plans by a property developer close to the Prime Minister. The supermarket, a favourite of King Charles and Queen Camilla, has lodged a lengthy objection, saying it is ‘extremely concerned’ about the plans in Buxton, Derbyshire. Manchester-based Capital & Centric’s co-founder Tim Heatley, 46, was among key supporters of Andy Burnham who gathered in Downing Street to celebrate his arrival in July. The project, supported by the local Labour-run council and backed by taxpayers’ cash, involves the urban property developer giving a ‘glow-up’ to the Peak District town’s half-empty, 1980s-built Springs shopping centre, turning it into ‘a destination where people can live, work and hang out’. But it will see the town centre’s biggest public car park, relied upon by Waitrose for its customers, shrink by two thirds from 431 spaces to just 142. Locals are also furious about Capital & Centric's proposed ‘urban-style’ buildings up to five-storeys high – with a heritage group bemoaning the ‘omission of high-quality materials such as local stone’ in a town famed for its crescent and opera house. In a 27-page objection submitted last week, Adam Bunn, agent for Waitrose, said a recent council study from 2022 showed the store – the only large supermarket in the town centre – brings in £10m of spending per year. It also ‘acts an ‘anchor’ retailer for the wider town centre’, ‘supporting linked shopping trips to other businesses’. Supermarket chain Waitrose's Buxton store which generates £10m for the local economy Capital & Centric's proposed 'glow-up' of Buxton is backed by £11m of taxpayer investment A view of proposed new flats and public space within Capital & Centric's Buxton scheme Mr Bunn said: ‘Our client is extremely concerned that this significant reduction in (parking) spaces will reduce the attractiveness of Waitrose as a food shopping destination. ‘Reduced capacity means that there will be increased competition for the spaces from all town centre uses, not just Waitrose customers, and this will dissuade customers from visiting both the store and the wider town centre. ‘The application proposes to remove approximately two-thirds of the town centre’s principal short-stay car park without demonstrating where displaced demand will go, whether the replacement parking can function for main food shopping trips, or how the needs of mobility-impaired shoppers will be met.’ He said the company ‘cannot support the proposals’ in their current form and ‘seeks amendment’. Labour-run High Peak Borough Council used £6.6m from the government’s Future High Streets fund to buy the shopping centre and is also putting £4.2m of its own money towards the scheme, which includes 332 new flats and 45,700 sq feet of new space for bars, restaurants and shops. The council is proposing a new 200-space car park on a former rail depot the other side of the town’s station but a planning application has yet to be submitted. Waitrose points out it would be far from the store and inconvenient for people with trolleys of shopping or customers with mobility problems. The retailer, which has a royal warrant as grocer to the King, joins over 600 people and organisations who have commented on the plans – with most objecting. Capital and Centric boss Tim Heatley posted on Instagram from Downing Street as he joined celebrations to mark Andy Burnham's arrival at Number 10 in June Hundreds of locals and heritage campaigners are opposed to the development in a town famed for Georgian architecture including its crescent Some local residents have accused Capital & Centric of using ‘off the peg computer designs which look like urban sprawl from Manchester’. There is also concern that the loss of a large area of car parking – which is close to full at weekends - would deter tourists in a town with limited public transport links. Heritage campaign group Buxton Civic Association said: ‘This scale and form of development would have profound impact on the character of Buxton, which is defined by its Regency architecture and spaces. ‘The scale, height, design and materials are more typical of a major urban redevelopment scheme, rather than an appropriate and sympathetic addition to an historic town centre. ‘There is a preponderance of brick rather than local stone and the extensive use of other modern materials which would only be acceptable in a much more limited and discreet use. ‘The quality of materials has been cheapened by the omission or reduction of the high-quality materials which reflected the character and special history of Buxton, such as copper, zinc and natural stone.’ One local in favour of the development said: ‘If someone offered £100m to regenerate your town in the current climate, would you say no?’ They added more residents in the town centre could boost the local economy. But even supporters of the scheme are concerned about the loss of parking. Local resident Andrew Thompson said: 'Overall this is a good thing for Buxton and they are a good developer but I do share concerns on parking.'  A Waitrose spokesperson said the company was 'supportive of the regeneration plans' overall - adding: 'We are in active discussions with the landlord and developers to have the best possible outcome for the whole town.' Capital & Centric said: 'Waitrose does not object to the regeneration in principle and expressly welcomes the potential regeneration of The Springs and new town-centre homes.  'Its objection is focused almost entirely (and predictably) on parking, access and the operational impact on its store.  'Importantly, Waitrose says its concerns are capable of being resolved through amendments and planning conditions rather than refusal, this is to be expected, entirely understandable and we’ll reach a sensible conclusion with them in due course.' The council's planning committee is due to decide on the proposals in the autumn.