Ikea’s idea for street store here

10:33am Thursday 23rd June 2005

A MASSIVE home furnishings store is being planned for Hillingdon. Swedish home furnishings giant Ikea has plans to build next to Hillingdon Underground Station on an empty brown field site previously occupied by Ruston Bucyrus crane works.

The company says the store will create employment opportunities for about 500 people who would be mainly recruited from the local community.

Planning applications are expected to be submitted to Hillingdon Council in the next two weeks.

A spokesman for Hillingdon Council said: "Each application has to be considered on its merits. However this would be a significant development and the council will have to look very carefully at the impact it would have on the local area."

Anne Collier, from Merton Avenue, Hillingdon, said: "It is utter madness that the council or other powers that be would even consider this proposal especially as there is already the proposed development of the Master Brewer into a Tesco store. Are they making this area the new Brent Park? You only have to travel down the north circular to see how the area has changed around these two stores that is after queueing in major traffic of course."

She added: "We may all like to shop at both Ikea and Tesco, but both these huge stores are better suited to an industrial area."

Local shopkeepers say they are more concerned about the plans for Tesco on the old Master Brewer site than a new Ikea. Tony Smith, 50, who owns Fashion Flooring Contracts at Hillingdon Circus said: "Ikea might bring more people to the parade. I am more worried about Tesco taking away the trade from small businesses. We don't want the shops to die off."