Spires Redevelopment (May 2008)

Spires to double in size with £20 million scheme

Rumours have been around for some time indicating that UBS Bank, the owners of The Spires, were planning a major redevelopment of the site. Members of your committee met with Savills, the Managing Agents, on 6th May. We found them to be very open regarding the proposals. They clearly see the advantage of sharing their ideas with local organisations as early as possible in the planning process. As yet there are no drawings available for publication as aspects of the scheme continue to be the subject of discussions with council planning officers. They do however hope to move quite quickly and aim to submit a planning application during the summer months. We were told that The Spires is no longer attractive to major chains because the shop units are considered to be too small. Waitrose have been pressing for some time for an opportunity to expand so they can increase the range of goods on offer.

The main features of the proposals as presented to us are:

• Waitrose to be extended over the bandstand area and into part of the internal concourse, increasing the total trading area from 18,000 sq ft to 25000 sq ft.

• The car park to be demolished and replaced with two trading floors where the individual sales units would be much larger. Several major retailers are said to have already expressed an interest in taking space.
• A new car park would extend across the top of Waitrose and the new shops. The entrance will be by the current service road alongside Waitrose, exit at the opposite end. The number of spaces could however be fewer than at present.
• An hotel to be incorporated into the redevelopment. A basement car park would provide spaces for the hotel and traders.
• The High St. entrance to be altered to make it more visible and easier to access, mainly by demolishing the arches.
• The remainder of the trading area to be given a facelift.

Our initial reaction is:

• The development would have a major impact on the Stapylton Rd streetscape, not least because the overall height could be some 25 feet higher. This could inevitably prove to be rather controversial. The Library, Wesley Hall and the rear entrance to The Spires were all built at the same time, the architectural styles are pleasing and very much in harmony, providing a small-scale feel well in keeping with our market town environment.

• We have concerns whether there will be sufficient parking spaces for shoppers.
• The market could be very cut-off once it returns to its original home.

Overall though, we consider that the scheme may offer a real lifeline to stem the decline of our town shopping centre, and is certainly not seeking to impose the kind of massive redevelopment that Tesco are proposing to inflict on New Barnet.

The proposals could also be the catalyst to push our Council to finally come up with their long awaited town centre development strategy, although, as in New Barnet, the initiative has now been seized by the private sector and may leave the Council with little scope for manoeuvre.