A new destination for leisure, wellbeing and everyday convenience

A landscape-led mixed-use destination bringing together retail, sport, health, food, community facilities and high-quality public spaces at Retford’s northern gateway.

Public consultation now open — view the proposals and complete the survey by 23 August 2026

Public consultation now open — view the proposals and complete the survey by 23 August 2026

CLICK HERE TO HAVE YOUR SAY

The public consultation is now open.

VIEW THE PROPOSALS
HAVE YOUR SAY

Consultation closes: 23 August 2026

Help shape Retford’s Northern Gateway

A digital illustration of a sports complex with a soccer field, surrounding trees, landscaped gardens, and buildings, with people walking and playing.

ARC Commercial Developments Ltd is bringing forward proposals for a new mixed-use destination on North Road, Retford.

The proposals have been developed to create more than a conventional commercial development. The vision is for a distinctive and welcoming place where people can shop, exercise, meet, eat and access services within a carefully landscaped environment.

This online consultation provides an opportunity for residents, businesses, councillors and other stakeholders to view the emerging proposals and share their comments before the plans are finalised.

A watercolor illustration of a suburban commercial area surrounded by green trees and open fields, with a large parking lot and various buildings under a clear blue sky.

This is not intended to be a traditional retail park. It is a mixed-use destination designed around landscape, wellbeing and community life.

The vision

A NEW GATEWAY

A high-quality and recognisable northern entrance to Retford, shaped by architecture, planting and public realm.

EVERYDAY CONVENIENCE

A coordinated retail, food, coffee and service offer designed to meet everyday needs.

HEALTH AND WELLBEING

New opportunities for sport, exercise and active lifestyles, including padel, football and gym and wellness facilities.

SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY LIFE

Welcoming places to meet, eat, relax and spend time, supported by care, nursery and flexible community-oriented uses.

THE MASTERPLAN

A connected and carefully planned destination

The masterplan brings together a complementary mix of uses within a clear landscape and movement framework. Each part of the development is connected, while different types of traffic, servicing and pedestrian activity are organised to support safe and efficient operation.

DOWNLOAD THE CONSULTATION DOCUMENT

THE LOCATION IN WIDER CONTEXT

masterplan key

  1. Retail store

  2. Food retail store

  3. Garden centre

  4. Local Retail stores

  5. Fuel station

  6. Drive-through coffee

  7. Drive-through restaurant

  8. Indoor padel centre

  9. Social pavilion and courtyard

  10. High-performance gym and wellness centre

  11. 4G sports pitches

  12. Bar and restaurant

  13. 66-bed care home

  14. Studio, nursery or flexible community space

  15. Landscape buffers and new planting

 

WHAT IS PROPOSED

Children and adults participating in a soccer training session on a sunny day. Children are dressed in blue sports uniforms and are stretching or warming up on the grass field, with an instructor or coach guiding them. The field is surrounded by trees and a sports fence.

HEALTH, SPORT AND WELLBEING

  • Four indoor padel courts

  • 4G sports pitches

  • High-performance gym

  • Wellness facilities

  • Outdoor social and activity spaces

A woman shopping at a grocery store checkout counter, using her smartphone to pay with a card reader present, while a store employee smiling behind the counter.

SHOPPING AND CONVENIENCE

  • Food and retail stores

  • Local Independent shops

  • Garden centre

  • Coffee and restaurant facilities

  • Fuel provision

  • Convenient parking

COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL USES

Blurred image of people gathered in an indoor space with string lights hanging from the ceiling.

  • Social pavilion

  • Landscaped courtyard

  • Bar and restaurant

  • Care home

  • Studio, nursery or flexible community space

The mix of uses is intended to create activity throughout the day and evening and provide several different reasons to visit.

Explore the proposals

Watercolor illustration of a modern gas station with a petrol filling station, a coffee shop, and parking lot with cars and people walking.
Watercolor-style aerial view of a commercial complex with multiple buildings, parking lots, and surrounding green fields and trees under a blue sky.
Illustration of a landscaped park with a soccer field, surrounding trees, walking paths, and modern wooden buildings in the background with people walking and playing.
A watercolor illustration of a parking lot in front of a building labeled 'ARC Paddle,' with people walking and cars parked, and a large window showing an indoor paddle court.
A watercolor illustration of a shopping center parking lot with trees, cars, people walking, and a Lidl store in the background.
Watercolor illustration of a community park with two modern wooden buildings, green trees, a walk path, and people walking, sitting, and playing soccer.
A watercolor illustration of a busy shopping center parking lot with many cars parked, people pushing shopping carts, and walking towards stores. There are trees and a modern building with wooden paneling on the right side and smaller shops in the background under a partly cloudy sky.
A watercolor illustration of a parking lot surrounded by trees and greenery, with modern buildings and a gas station in the background under a partly cloudy sky.
A watercolor illustration of a lively soccer game taking place on a green field surrounded by trees. There are players actively playing, spectators watching, and a building with an outdoor seating area nearby.
Watercolor illustration of a shopping plaza parking lot with cars, pedestrians, trees, and storefronts for B&M and Lidl.
A digital illustration of a sports field with children playing soccer, surrounded by trees, walkways, and modern wooden buildings, with people walking and sitting on benches.
A watercolor painting of a lively outdoor sports field surrounded by trees, with children playing soccer, spectators watching, and a wooden building with outdoor seating.

A green and welcoming gateway that feels integrated with Retford and its wider landscape.

LANDSCAPE at THE HEART OF THE MASTERPLAN

Landscape is intended to form the structure of the development rather than being added around completed buildings.

  • substantial tree and shrub planting;

  • green buffers around the edges of the site;

  • native and wildlife-supporting planting;

  • landscaped pedestrian routes;

  • high-quality public spaces;

  • coordinated building materials and architectural character;

  • opportunities for biodiversity enhancement.

DESIGNING FOR SAFE AND CONVENIENT MOVEMENT

Access, parking, servicing and pedestrian movement are central to the continuing development of the masterplan.

A park scene with a man in a wheelchair on a paved pathway, surrounded by green trees and bushes. The sun is shining through the trees, and a few other people are walking in the background. There are benches along the pathway.

The proposals are being designed around:

  • a clear internal circulation route;

  • appropriate access to each part of the site;

  • separation between servicing and principal visitor areas where practicable;

  • safe pedestrian movement between uses;

  • convenient and accessible parking;

  • cycle parking and opportunities for sustainable travel connections;

  • suitable access for emergency and service vehicles.

Transport, access and highway matters will be informed by detailed technical assessment as the proposals progress.

BENEFITS FOR RETFORD.

A hand stacking wooden blocks labeled with business and economic terms, including 'Capital Expenditure', 'Business Investment', 'Private Sector', and 'Economic Growth', in a conference room setting.

LOCAL INVESTMENT

Supporting new private investment in Retford and the northern gateway.

A woman working in a flower shop, handling a bouquet of white tulips wrapped in plastic, with floral supplies and a customer order screen nearby.

LOCAL EMPLOYMENT

Creating employment opportunities across retail, hospitality, sport, leisure, care and site operations.

Group of people walking on a dirt path in a park with green trees and sunlight.

HEALTH & WELLBEING

Providing additional opportunities for exercise, recreation and active lifestyles.

Aerial view of a dense green forest with a river flowing through the landscape.

LOCAL PLACE-MAKING

Creating a coordinated and landscape-led development at an important entrance to the town.

Wider potential benefits

  • Greater choice of local facilities

  • New places to meet and socialise

  • Additional sports and leisure provision

  • Improved gateway appearance

  • New planting and ecological enhancement

  • Increased local expenditure and visitor activity

Your Questions, Answered

  • A mixed-use development incorporating retail, food and drink, sport, leisure, wellbeing, care, community-oriented uses, parking, access and landscaping.

  • The site occupies a prominent position on the northern approach to Retford and provides an opportunity to create a coordinated and attractive entrance to the town.

  • No. These are emerging proposals being presented for public consultation. Feedback will be reviewed before the plans are finalised and any planning application is submitted.

  • The potential transport effects will be considered through detailed highway and transport work. Access arrangements, internal circulation, parking and pedestrian safety will form part of the technical assessment.

  • The retail and commercial elements will be considered through the planning process, including any necessary assessment of their relationship with the town centre. The wider scheme also includes substantial leisure, sport, wellbeing, care and social uses.

  • Responses will be reviewed by the project team and used to inform the development of the proposals. A summary of the consultation and the project team’s response will accompany any future planning submission where appropriate.

  • No construction timetable has been fixed. Any programme would depend on the outcome of consultation, technical work, planning and subsequent delivery arrangements.

  • Complete the online survey or email the project team using the details shown below.

HAVE YOUR SAY

Your feedback will help the project team understand what local people value, identify areas of concern and refine the proposals before a planning application is submitted.

COMPLETE THE CONSULTATION SURVEY

The survey should take approximately five minutes to complete.

Closing date: 23 August 2026 @ 19:00

Comments received after the closing date may still be reviewed, but respondents should submit within the consultation period wherever possible.

CONTACT THE PROJECT TEAM

Modern building with multiple stories, large glass windows exposing interior offices, illuminated at night, with trees and sidewalk in the foreground.

UKSD

Architect, Planning & Development Consultant

Email: enquiries@uksdgroup.com
Telephone: 020 3633 0490

The Stanley Building
7 Pancras Square
London
N1C 4AG

Real estate agency with 'Brown QC' sign on the storefront, located on a brick building with multiple windows and a small balcony. 
Selling Agent

Brown & co.

Email: pdwhite@brown-co.com
Telephone: 01777 709112

Brown & Co.
Grove Street
Retford
DN22 6JP