Food Sales Expansion Planned at The Range in Market Harborough

Shoppers in Market Harborough could soon be able to buy a wider range of groceries at The Range.

The retailer has applied for planning permission to sell more food and drink from its Springfield Retail Park store, including frozen, chilled and packaged goods through a partnership with Iceland.

The store already sells a small amount of food and drink products, but the application would allow up to 250 square metres of existing retail space to be used for a wider range of items.

Permission is needed because of planning restrictions dating back to when the site was occupied by Homebase, which limited the sale of food from the unit.

The retailer has applied for planning permission to sell more food and drink from its Springfield Retail Park store

No extension to the building is proposed, with the food section replacing part of the existing non-food retail space.

Planning documents submitted by The Range’s parent company, CDS Superstores Ltd, say the proposal would allow the retailer to provide its full product range while remaining primarily a home, DIY and garden store.

The company says the food offer would be “limited and complementary” and would include items such as frozen goods, chilled products, packaged food and a small selection of drinks.

The Range took over the former Homebase store in June 2025 on a 15-year lease and says it has already invested significantly in refitting the premises.

The planning application says the expanded food offer would require a further investment of around £350,000 and could create three additional jobs.

CDS Superstores says the proposal is linked specifically to The Range’s existing store and that it does not operate standalone food shops. It adds that the development is below the threshold requiring a retail impact assessment and would not involve any changes to the building or car park.

Harborough District Council will decide the application at a later date.