news
WCEC has designs on further regeneration of Potteries town
31 August 2005
Derbyshire architects WCEC is helping to transform the
Potteries, with its designs for the redevelopment of Tunstall town centre.
The rapidly expanding Chesterfield practice has been working with developers, on the multi-million pound Tunstall East Regeneration Scheme for 4 years which is providing a much-needed facelift for the Stoke area.
Tunstall was badly hit two years ago by the closure of pottery giant
Waterford Wedgwoods Alexandra factory with the loss of hundreds of jobs.
The redevelopment project by the urban regeneration specialists Dransfield
Properties Ltd, is seen as a vital way to breathe new life into the
Staffordshire town.
Alex Wall, WCEC partner, said: This project represents another exciting
town centre regeneration scheme for the practice.
We have been working on these proposals with Dransfield Properties over
many years and it is very rewarding to see the transformation of Tunstall
town centre coming to fruition.
The £7 million redevelopment of the Tunstall area has been named Jasper Square.
Phase One was completed last year with the arrival of a 45,000sq ft Matalan store creating 100 new jobs. Since its opening, the town centres High Street trade has improved, with retailers reporting an increase in business and empty units now being let.
Phases Two and Three has completed this summer with the arrival of a range of big retail names including Next, Argos, Pizza Hut and Choices Video. Next are trading over two floors providing 20,000 sq ft of retail space which provides departments for womenswear and childrenswear on the ground floor and menswear and home on the first floor.
Two further units on Rathbone Street are also due for completion later this summer - one of them fronting the High Street to strengthen links with the High Street shops.
WCEC and Dransfield Properties are currently in discussions with the local authority for Phase Four of the ambitious programme. This would see the redevelopment of the former Wedgewood factory site in a mixed-use scheme.
Alex added: The further phases of the Tunstall development will firmly put the town on the map as a highly attractive retail destination.
An important element of this phased redevelopment is to improve connections to and with the High Street encouraging people to make linked shopping trips. It will also open up and improve the environment of the Tunstall greenway providing high quality, green open space linked into the town centre.
We are delighted to be associated with a project that is contributing so much to the regeneration of Tunstall.
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