Shrewsbury developments thread!

[Telfordboy]

The flaxmill should definately be retained, I can't help but think that if it was in a major city it would be a much bigger deal. Also i wonder why is was built in Shrewsbury anyway. I mean the place is hardly known for its industrial might is it. They should re-create the canal as well IMO.

[Jonesy55]

www.shropshirestar.com

You can see the site in this photo to the right of the big shopping centre.


"Go-ahead for £12m shops link

The Darwin shopping centreA £12 million scheme to link Shrewsbury’s two main shopping centres has been given the go-ahead. The boss of the Darwin and Pride Hill malls today said the move could attract a new department store to the county town.

Workers will now move on to the Raven Meadows “gap site” to start to build a retaining wall at the back of the Pride Hill shops.

The five-storey link mall was approved last night at the borough council’s development control committee.

The application was made by Morris Property, the company which owns the vital piece of rundown land currently used as a car park.

The company today announced it is looking for a “joint venture partner” to build the landmark development.

A spokeswoman from Morris said today: “Morris Property are pleased to have received consent to resurrect their original scheme for a five-storey retail building which could potentially see a link to both the Darwin and Pride Hill shopping centres.

“Morris Property will now carry out some enabling works, principally a retaining wall to the rear of the Pride Hill shops. The company intends to commence in the immediate future.”

She added: “Morris Property is actively looking to secure a joint venture partner to develop this scheme which is estimated to be in the region of £12 million.”

She added that the development was only a shopping scheme and did not include car parking.

Victoria Gibson, centre manager for Protego, which owns the Darwin, Pride Hill and Riverside shopping centres said Morris Property was solely responsible for developing the “gap site”.

Mrs Gibson added that new development could attract big-name stores. She said: “There has been speculation for a long time that department stores have been looking to come to the town.”

Morris hopes to blend the new brickwork with either the Pride Hill or Darwin Centre buildings, but create a front mostly from glass.

Plans to create one main mall under the name “Castle Gate” were scrapped at the beginning of the year after the Scottish investment group Dunedin sold the three current shopping centres to Protego."

[Brum tiddly um tum]

Originally Posted by Telfordboy

The flaxmill should definately be retained, I can't help but think that if it was in a major city it would be a much bigger deal. Also i wonder why is was built in Shrewsbury anyway. I mean the place is hardly known for its industrial might is it. They should re-create the canal as well IMO.

That's the grand plan, but as this place is hardly a major city I very much doubt it will actually happen.

[Gherkin]

New football ground coming along nicely

[Jonesy55]

The new Theatre in Frankwell is also rising quickly, I might pop along and take a photo today.

[Gherkin]

Please do! I see it growing everyday in college but never have a camera on me

This link's got some good renders:

http://www.shrewsbury.gov.uk/public/...hotographs.htm

[Jonesy55]

The Northern Corridor masterplan has been published, (link)

What do you think, It looks like a vast improvement on what's there currently, I especially like the Castle Foregate Urban Village idea, the question is can the finance be put together?

[Jonesy55]

Webcam pic of Theatre construction today.

[Gherkin]

Originally Posted by Jonesy55

The Northern Corridor masterplan has been published, (link)

What do you think, It looks like a vast improvement on what's there currently, I especially like the Castle Foregate Urban Village idea, the question is can the finance be put together?

I can't imagine too many Shrewsbury folk appreciating some of those modern public spaces and architecture. I haven't met anyone who likes the Darwin Gate sculptures yet because "they look like they are from Dracula's castle" or "Lord of the Rings". lol. It is a vast improvement ofcourse, but my money's on bid budget cuts and a rather cheap looking Northern Corridor "masterplan".

[Telfordboy]

I like the Darwin gate thing, but then I'm an uneducated heathen from down the A5
I can't get over how big the theatre is gonna be.

[Jonesy55]

Article about the theatre development in tonight's Shropshire Star.

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This dramatic picture shows Shrewsbury’s £28 million theatre complex as it towers above the town’s skyline.



The steel frames at the site of the showpiece 650-seat venue now dominate the riverside view at Frankwell, rising high above surrounding buildings.

The super-structure is expected to be completed by the end of September. Work on the internal fittings such as heating and electrical wiring will start in October.

Borough council architect Geoff Trantham said: “We are still slightly behind schedule but we have now started on the super-structure frame and that hopefully will be finished at the end of September and then things will be back on project.

“Once the shell is finished, we will start on the internal features.”

Mr Trantham said the building had reached its full height except for the roof.

Impact

“We have to finish the steel frame itself and then the cladding and the brick work and the glass.

“People are likely to see a lot of changes in the next few weeks.”

Leisure and culture portfolio holder for Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council, Councillor Charles Armstrong added: “It’s going to have a great impact on the skyline in Shrewsbury rather than looking like a giant climbing frame as it does at the moment.

“It’s a giant step forward for the town and the region.”

General manager of Shrewsbury Music Hall, Lezley Picton, who will run the new theatre, said: “I’m very excited. It’s just taken such a long time to get here.

“I came here nine years ago to open this and it’s finally taking shape. It looks a bit scary at the moment because it’s a lot of steel.

“It’s really stating Shrewsbury’s intention of being the rural cultural hub of the West Midlands.

“You can often find me viewing it from the Welsh bridge.”

Work on Theatre Severn officially started in November when the Mayor, Councillor Roger Evans, cut the first sod.

It is due to be completed in November 2008 and will open after the last pantomime at the Music Hall.

[Jonesy55]

Latest photo of Theatre Severn, taken by me on Saturday.

[Gherkin]

Thanks Jonesy.

www.newmeadow.com is getting so many visitors the servers have crashed There are lots of people interested in the new stadium...

[Telfordboy]

I like the curved bit at the top, will that be the actual auditorium bit or is it just a feature?

[Jonesy55]

Originally Posted by Telfordboy

I like the curved bit at the top, will that be the actual auditorium bit or is it just a feature?

I think that will be the main auditorium, don't quote me on that though!

[Jonesy55]

Disused Abbey Foregate train station to be refurbished

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http://www.shropshirestar.co.uk/2007...work-approved/

Funds for rail work approved
Shrewsbury council chiefs have approved funding of £140,000 to transform the town’s historic Abbey railway station.

The Shrewsbury Railway Heritage Trust plans three phases of work to bring the derelict Old Potts Railway Station in Abbey Foregate back into use.

At Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council’s Cabinet meeting yesterday council chiefs agreed £140,000 to cover the first two stages of work, subject to tenders.

Phase one of the scheme will involve repairs to the shell of the building to form a display area with funding from Heritage Lottery Fund to complete the fitting-out.

The second phase of work will consist of creating a community meeting area.

In 2003, the council made £60,000 available to the Trust as match-funding for the provision of a railway visitor centre, and in December 2006 it agreed to the provision of £80,000 in the capital programme.

Mansel Williams, who is chairman of the Trust, said after the meeting that he was hopeful they would be able to secure additional funding to complete phase three of the project to create an external exhibition area.

The building formed part of the old Shropshire and Montgomeryshire Railway.

In 1911 it reopened as the more modest Shropshire and Montgomeryshire Railway from Shrewsbury to Llanymynech.

[Jonesy55]

Urban Splash chosen for flaxmill redevelopment

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Urban Splash to develop mill

Shrewsbury’s historic Flax Mill will be transformed by the award-winning property developers responsible for restoring Fort Dunlop in Birmingham.

English Heritage and members of the Ditherington Flax Mills Steering Group have chosen Urban Splash as their first choice of developer to find a viable future for the building.

Ditherington Flax Mill is the world’s first iron-framed building and is the ancestor of the modern-day skyscraper.

It was used as a flax mill for 100 years before it was converted into a maltings. It closed in 1987 and is currently in a poor condition.

English Heritage bought the site in 2005 for £900,000 and started the search for a company to redevelop the buildings last year.

Nathan Cornish, managing director of Urban Splash Midlands Ltd, said: “We are very excited to have the opportunity to forge the partnership.”

Urban Splash recently converted the redundant Fort Dunlop, just off the M6, into offices, shops and a hotel complex.

Chris Smith, English Heritage Planning and Development Director for the West Territory, who chairs the Steering Group, said the parties would now work together to find a suitable use for the Flax Mill.

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£30m scheme for Flax Mill


About £30 million is to be spent on transforming Shrewsbury’s historic Flax Mill, it was revealed today. A consortium of partners will be pumping money into the scheme.

The cash could help pave the way for a major overhaul of the 18th century mill.

Last month Ditherington Flax Mill’s owners English Heritage announced Urban Splash as the first choice developer to find a viable future for the structure - the first iron framed building in the world.

Councillor Charles Armstrong, portfolio holder for capital projects at Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council, said the firm, which was responsible for restoring Fort Dunlop in Birmingham, would be responsible for finding the bulk of the £30 million including bids to external bodies.

He said: “The scheme total is £30 million and most of that will come from Urban Splash and other funders.

“As a commercial organisation they are looking to take the uniqueness of derelict buildings and bring them back into economic use.

“Urban Splash has a good track record of bringing in external funding.

“English Heritage, Advantage West Midlands (AWM) and all the normal funders will be putting money in.”

Mr Armstrong added the investment was a “tremendous boost” for the area and would play a major role in the regeneration of Shrewsbury’s northern corridor.

The news comes as it emerged councillors also decided to press ahead with attempts to seek a compulsory purchase order on the Arriva Bus Depot in Ditherington which fronts the 18th century mill.

In May, a public inquiry to consider objections to the CPO was adjourned for six months to see if a site could be agreed between Arriva and the council.

[SimonTheSoundMan]

Just curious to why this thread is not in the Brum forum?

[Brummyboy92]

I just found out where shrewsbury was and its not far from Brum at all. So I am going to pay attention to this thread because I want to see what is happening.

[Jonesy55]

Any attempt by Brum to annex us will be met with fierce resistance from the Shropshire Martyrs Brigade