Comprehensive plans for Nailsea town centre announced
Posted by Ellandi on 5th Sep 2014

Co-ordinated plans to improve Nailsea town
centre are set to move forward this autumn.
Ellandi, owners of the Crown Glass Shopping
Centre have been working with a number of stakeholders to finalise a comprehensive
scheme that will see nine million pounds invested in a number initiatives
across the town centre, creating over 50 jobs.
The plans have been developed over a five
year period and will provide significant improvements in the choice of
shopping, catering and community facilities in Nailsea.
Shopper choice will be widened with a new
Lidl store and a national Coffee shop operator. Community facilities will be
enhanced with a refurbished children’s play area and better toilets and
neglected areas of the town will be enlivened with the a single story 5,000 sq
ft retail unit on the site of the former filling station, 30 retirement
apartments the refurbishment of offices in Somerset Square and the gift of a
community amenity area bordering Stockway South to the local authority.
New branding and
signage has been developed for the scheme and there are comprehensive marketing
and enlivenment proposals that will see regular family entertainment events and
a repeat of the successful ‘win a shop’ initiative to help foster local retail
entrepreneurs.
“Put together, this
package of proposals will see the biggest investment in Nailsea town centre for
decades. The town centre retail offer
will be anchored by two of the country’s most successful retailers Waitrose and
Lidl and we are confident that vacancy rates will then fall further below the
national average,’ says Charlotte Jarrett, Centre Manager at Crown Glass
“With all of the additional improvements to the
town centre I’m confident we will be able to bring more national names to the
town as well as continue to foster our vibrant selection of local businesses
such as Ewe Knit 20, The Blue Room and Burchills.”
“We have listened to
some of the concerns that were voiced in respect of our initial proposals and
hope that we have moved to address some of these.” Comments Mark
Robinson, Investment Director of owners and Community Shopping Centre
specialists Ellandi.
“For example following a constructive dialogue with
Nailsea Town Council we have been able to re-orient the Lidl store through 90
degrees to have less impact on Stockway South and there is now a reduction in
fewer car parking spaces and it is important to stress that the car park
improvements will improve access to the health centre for all of their users,
especially the disabled.”
“The town Council
will formally consider the proposed developments as and when a planning
application is submitted, but it is clear they have listened and responded to
concerns that were previously raised and were open to further constructive
feedback.” Adds Ian Morrell of Nailsea Town Council
The nine million pound investment plans for Nailsea
town centre include the following elements.
- Churchill
Retirement Living submitting a planning application for 30 retirement
apartments; part of these proposals a community amenity area bordering Stockway
South will be gifted to the local authority.
- Rebranding and
re-signing of the entire town in conjunction with Nailsea Town Council.
- A planning
application for a new single story 5,000 sq ft retail unit on the site of the
former filling station. This site
currently has planning permission for a more controversial three story mixed
use scheme.
- Refurbished public
toilets.
- A new Lidl store on
part of the existing Crown Glass Car park.
- Additional highway
improvements to Christchurch Close.
- A complete
refurbishment and provision of a new children’s play area on Clevedon Walk
(Images attached).
- A new premium
national coffee operator on Somerset Square.
- Conversion of
redundant office space to provide 9 new homes within the town centre.
- Refurbishment of
remaining offices of Somerset Square to provide over 10,000 sq ft of modern
offices, 75% of which have already been pre-let.
A planning
application has already been submitted by Churchill in respect of the Sycamore
House, with proposals for the remainder of the master plan coming forward
during September.