The owners of the Belvoir Shopping Centre have made a move to make sure they can find new occupiers for the town's branch of Wilko - if the worst were to happen and the Coalville branch closes.

Gylo has asked North West Leicestershire District Council if it would have to apply for planning permission should a new business move into the site - with a letter suggesting 'it may prove necessary to market the unit to new occupiers in due course'.

An application made last week to the council's planning department says that the uncertainty over the future of Wilko as a company means they may have to find new occupiers for the site at 66, Belvoir Shopping Centre in Coalville.

Despite Wilko going into administration earlier this month, the Coalville store has not yet closed - and there is still hope that the company can be rescued.

The owner of HMV is today finalising a deal to rescue the majority of Wilko's operations, salvaging more than 8,000 jobs at the stricken high street retailer, according to Sky News.

But a letter has been sent to North West Leicestershire District Council on behalf of Belfast-based Fitzwilliam Trustees No.9 Limited and Fitzwilliam Trustees No.10 Ltd - with Companies House listing them as trustees of the shopping centre owners Gylo Property Unit Trust.

The covering letter from the applicants' agents, Manchester-based Q+A Planning, says: "Unit 66 is a retail unit and has for over 10 years been occupied by Wilko (formerly Wilkinsons), a discount homeware store. 

"At the time of Wilko's first occupation, planning permission was not required for the occupation of the unit by a retail use within the shopping centre.

"However, we note that planning permission was approved for two replacement adverts when the store name changed from Wilkinsons to Wilko. 

"Given the widely-publicised difficulties being experienced by the Wilko's business, it may prove necessary to market the unit to new occupiers in due course.

"Accordingly, the applicant is seeking confirmation that any future business could re-occupy the unit without the need of a change of use planning application."

Wilko The administrators of Wilko said recently that jobs are set to go and stores will close after it failed to find a buyer for the whole business.

But Sky reports that Wilko's administrators PricewaterhouseCoopers, began consulting the chain's major creditors today (Thursday) on the terms of an agreement with HMV owner Doug Putman.

The report says Mr Putman intended to acquire more than 300 of its 400 stores, meaning that between 8,000, and 9,000 jobs, of a total workforce of 12,500, could be saved

Depending upon further details with other retailers to buy some of Wilko stores, however, that could still mean several thousand high street workers face losing their jobs

A deal with Mr Putman could be announced in the next few days, although there is caution that some uncertainty remained until it was agreed. 

It means, however, that the store in the Belvoir Shopping Centre in Coalville remains at risk of closure.