Transforming Telford

A vision document outlining proposals for the £250m redevelopment of the Southwater area in Telford Town Centre has been published this week by economic regeneration company, Transforming Telford Ltd with its founding partners national regeneration agency English Partnerships, Advantage West Midlands and Telford & Wrekin Council.

The document puts forward a vision that would radically regenerate the 30 acre (12 hectare) site around the existing Southwater area in the Town Centre by introducing a new 143,000 sq m mixed-use development. The scheme would bring together new cafes, bars and shops, a 12,500 sq m leisure scheme including replacements for the existing ice rink, bowling and bingo hall, new housing, 25,000 sq m offices with further expansion proposed and a new hotel. Meeting Point House and the Library would be replaced with new, improved community facilities. Together these developments would create and safeguard an estimated 1,750 jobs.

The £250m development would be made up of around £30 million public sector funding which would lever in an additional £220 million of private sector investment.

A new high street would be built, with a central public square replacing Southwater Square. This would be enhanced with exciting, atmospheric lighting as public art, to help create a distinctive character for the Town Centre.

Sarah Raper, Chief Executive of Transforming Telford, said, “We have a number of very important projects underway in Telford but probably the single most important requirement is the redevelopment of the Town Centre. We could create an eighteen hour, seven day a week vibrant and sustainable heart for Telford.

“This town offers the most superb opportunities as a leading regional centre for shopping, business and investment but what has been missed is a lively, focal area where people can meet friends, have a meal or a drink, visit a cultural or leisure venue and generally enjoy life. The document presents our vision for all of this and will form the basis for a further detailed brief to appoint a development partner next year.”

Telford & Wrekin Council Leader, Councillor Andrew Eade added: “It is important to stress that this document is intended to stimulate ideas from developers about how the town centre environment can be improved. It shows the kind of development we would like to see. I do want to emphasise that no decisions have been made at this stage about what might be built where. We are seeing what the development market could be.”

The 30 acre (12 hectare) site around Southwater Square sits within a wider 74 acre (30 hectare) area at the heart of Telford which comprises land mainly owned by Telford & Wrekin Council, Apollo Real Estate/Hark Group and the International Centre. Together these major land owners are also expected to bring forward plans to unlock the town’s potential.

The views of thousands of local people, partner organisations and young people are already being sought on the town centre’s future as part of two far-reaching consultation exercises by Telford & Wrekin Council. The results of these, due back next month, will inform and influence the vision contained in this document, which is designed to attract a development partner.

The 30 acre Southwater site could include the following development opportunities:

• Southwater Square, which incorporates a re-designed water feature and public square, close to Telford’s very popular Town Park, forming the focus for high quality developments including a new hotel, cafes, bars and offices, specialist shops and residential apartments to encourage town centre living, something which has not previously existed in Telford.

• A Leisure scheme which would be anchored on the theme of ice leisure and include other uses such as bowling and bingo.

• A striking new learning and media centre, which would help raise architectural aspirations throughout the Town Centre. The existing library could be re-housed here, as could other community resources. A new Meeting Point House would be built as an important facility for the local community and voluntary sector.

• A new central High Street and public realm bringing innovative lighting as public art to the town. The scheme would also maximise pedestrian linkages across the Town Centre including the Town Park, shopping centre and railway station.

• The vision also sees the creation of improved links with the hugely successful Telford International Centre and its planned expansion.

• A new 1,200 space multi story car park would be built.

The vision document will go before Telford & Wrekin Council’s Cabinet for endorsement on 29th October 2007. Transforming Telford Ltd will be holding a public exhibition in Telford Shopping Centre on 8th, 9th and 10th November and a number of presentations to the business community later in November. Opinions and views received will be fed back to the Council.

The brief for the appointment of a private sector development partner for the 30 acre site around Southwater Square will be issued through the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) process in 2008. It is anticipated that a preferred developer will be appointed in 2009. Public consultation on the developer proposals will then follow.

It is proposed that the Library, Meeting Point House, the Ice Rink, Bingo and Bowling facilities would remain in operation during the period of construction, to allow replacement facilities to be developed.

ENDS

Note to editor:

Transforming Telford has been working closely with Telford & Wrekin Council, English Partnerships and Advantage West Midlands on the vision document, which will be complemented by a number of other emerging proposals. The Town Centre box road, that currently contains the central retail and commercial area, could be downgraded in part to allow for improved access to the rail and bus services, the Town Park, retail area and Southwater Square. Surface car parking will be replaced with multi-storey parking and the public realm greatly improved, with Southwater Square an early focus for the Council’s Public Realm Design Strategy.

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