Plans submitted to turn empty unit in Northamptonshire village into bakery as award-winning baker 'looking to expand'
Plans for a new baked goods shop in Wollaston have been submitted, hoping to bring an empty unit in the village back into use.
The applicant, ElsBakes, won the Best Local Food and Drink Producer and Best Small Business prizes at the 2024 Northants Life awards in July, and is hoping to acquire the unit on a five-year lease.
One of the planning document states: “The proposed change of use to a Class E will bring a lot of value to the village of Wollaston and the surrounding area. The property is currently standing empty and has been for several years.
“I am a successful, long standing business, in Wollaston looking to expand. Having recently won two Northants Life Awards, this is an exciting time for me to expand and offer more to my existing customers as well as new customers.
“This would be a very welcome business to the village offering something different to what Wollaston already has to offer its residents and the surrounding area.”
If approved, the unit, which is on the corner of the High Street and Thrift Street, will include a display of baked goods and a seated area for customers. Plans also state a commercial kitchen will be installed in the upper part of the building. Its trading hours are expected to be within the hours of 8am until 5pm, Monday through Saturday.
Wollaston Parish Council has no objections to the proposal.
The full application can be found here, or by searching with the reference NW/24/00510/LDP on the North Northants Council planning portal.