| "Where do Hark's Proposals Leave Council?" |
Posted on 13th November 2009 @ 10:56:06 |
George Ashcroft
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Comment: This is exactly the kind of integrated Town Centre proposal that is RIGHT for the borough. I welcome this development and I hope very much that T&W council will also embrace it.
These proposals accord with the future needs of the borough and afford a substantial shopping experience for the entire region.
That the misguided leadership of Telford & Wrekin Council thought that they could sideline Hark Appolo was an astonishing display of hubris and one which betrayed a lack of understanding of the retailing needs of Telford.
P.S. I feel a bit like Inspector Blakey from "On The Buses":
"That's made my day, that has, Butler..."
For Immediate Release: Friday 13th November 2009
TELFORD TO GET A NEW SUPERSTORE
IN THE HEART OF THE TOWN CENTRE
Telford is to get a new food store in the heart of the Town Centre as a result of plans launched by centre owners today.
Hark, acting for the trustee owners, has today written requesting pre-application talks with Telford & Wrekin Council's planning team in anticipation of an imminent application.
The new store is planned on part of the Red Oak Car Park and will be integral to the existing Town Centre.
The store will offer a modern trading environment to suit Asda's current and future requirements, or those of any other leading multiple retailer.
Car parking will be under and alongside the store and managed as a short-term shoppers’ car park to suit the needs of a foodstore.
In building the new store, transitional arrangements would enable the premises to be constructed and fitted out so as to offer Asda continuous trading at the northern end of the Town Centre.
Completion could be achieved before 2014 when the existing Asda lease expires.
Rob Cossey, Director of Hark Group said:
“We are delighted to announce these plans today. We regard Asda as a great trader and a key element of both the existing and future Town Centre.
“With this scheme we are now able to offer Asda a seamless relocation to a new state of the art store, keeping Asda as a vital economic ingredient within the existing Town Centre.”
Rob Cossey continued:
“We are, of course, aware of the Council’s plans to seek to move Asda out of the Town Centre on to the Council-owned Civic Offices site. However, we do not expect that proposal to receive planning consent. We want to be able to offer Asda an alternative configuration for their trading future within the existing prime shopping area of the town.
“These latest plans, with new curved frontage, will extend the existing routes through the Town Centre, but with new fascias and a mix of uses, which will further open out the scheme for the community.”
Despite the economic downturn Hark has made significant strides in the development of the Centre in the last 24 months including the Primark extension, the new nightclub and restaurant, a food service area within the Mall, and the introduction of a modern GP practice by the Primary Care Trust. The latest plans are the next major step and reflect the drive to develop the Town Centre by promoting a mix of uses that draws people to it as part of their daily lives, including the promotion of a night-time economy and public and cultural services.
In late 2007, the Town Centre master plan, The Round, was unanimously well received and, at the time, welcomed by the Council.
Rob Cossey said:
“Despite the greatest financial uncertainty in living memory, Hark has remained committed to building the economic pathway for the regeneration of the Town Centre. No one should be under any illusion about the very severe impact that this recession has had on retailing including in Telford Town Centre. These new plans show the depth of our commitment.
“The continued integration of new and mixed uses at the core of the existing centre is, quite rightly, at the heart of national regeneration and planning policies. We hope our proposals will be supported by the Council, as well as the community, thus reinforcing the future prospects for the 3,000 plus jobs within the Town Centre.”
Ends
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