Second try for shops plan on former Project site
Wednesday, 23rd March 2011.
Plans for shops, a fast food restaurant and Wickes builders merchants at the former Project site in Ehringshausen Way, Haverhill, seem to be back on track.
A £12million scheme to develop the site by HPG Developments of Cambridge was thrown out last year by St Edmundsbury Borough Council planners after objections from town centre retailers, Haverhill Town Council and Anglian Water.
After four months of negotiations with the planning officers HPG have come forward with a new version.
The new proposals, also representing a £12million investment in the town, include 11 business starter units, as before, the restaurant, which was rumoured but never confirmed to be for McDonalds, the builders merchants site for Wickes, three stores (one less than before), car parking and a new element of nine 'smaller trade warehouses'.
The developers say the site will create over 250 jobs in retail and business, with the starter units being built in the first phase to provide a boost to the local economy.
The developers will also provide £250,000 for improvements to the town centre to ensure its future vitality and viability.
They also offer a transfer of land at the rear to the council to enlarge the adjacent county wildlife site and a contribution towards its maintenance.
The developers describe the proposals as providing 'a visible sign of confidence in the town at a key gateway location which is currently vacant and derelict'.
The move follows almost four months of close working with the borough council and its retail advisers to address issues raised by previous plans for the Hamlet Green site which led to them being refused.
HPG development director William Jewson said: "Submitting these new regeneration proposals demonstrates our longstanding commitment to working with the borough council to deliver much-needed investment in Haverhill.
"We've worked hard to address concerns raised about our earlier scheme. The new retail units we are proposing will be strictly limited to bulky goods which will complement, rather than compete with, the town centre.
"This, in turn, will improve the quality and diversity of retail provision in the town and, by helping encouyrage more people to shop locally, help stimulate further improvement to the town centre.
"As a result, the proposals on the table offer not only huge benefits for Haverhill but also the best development possible for this gateway site for the town and its economy."
The developers are anticipating the scheme will be determined by the borough planning committee in April.
Anyone interested in finding out more about the proposals can contact HPG's community relations representatives Phil Brogan on 020 7839 5403 or Lucy Pond on 020 7839 5400.
A £12million scheme to develop the site by HPG Developments of Cambridge was thrown out last year by St Edmundsbury Borough Council planners after objections from town centre retailers, Haverhill Town Council and Anglian Water.
After four months of negotiations with the planning officers HPG have come forward with a new version.
The new proposals, also representing a £12million investment in the town, include 11 business starter units, as before, the restaurant, which was rumoured but never confirmed to be for McDonalds, the builders merchants site for Wickes, three stores (one less than before), car parking and a new element of nine 'smaller trade warehouses'.
The developers say the site will create over 250 jobs in retail and business, with the starter units being built in the first phase to provide a boost to the local economy.
The developers will also provide £250,000 for improvements to the town centre to ensure its future vitality and viability.
They also offer a transfer of land at the rear to the council to enlarge the adjacent county wildlife site and a contribution towards its maintenance.
The developers describe the proposals as providing 'a visible sign of confidence in the town at a key gateway location which is currently vacant and derelict'.
The move follows almost four months of close working with the borough council and its retail advisers to address issues raised by previous plans for the Hamlet Green site which led to them being refused.
HPG development director William Jewson said: "Submitting these new regeneration proposals demonstrates our longstanding commitment to working with the borough council to deliver much-needed investment in Haverhill.
"We've worked hard to address concerns raised about our earlier scheme. The new retail units we are proposing will be strictly limited to bulky goods which will complement, rather than compete with, the town centre.
"This, in turn, will improve the quality and diversity of retail provision in the town and, by helping encouyrage more people to shop locally, help stimulate further improvement to the town centre.
"As a result, the proposals on the table offer not only huge benefits for Haverhill but also the best development possible for this gateway site for the town and its economy."
The developers are anticipating the scheme will be determined by the borough planning committee in April.
Anyone interested in finding out more about the proposals can contact HPG's community relations representatives Phil Brogan on 020 7839 5403 or Lucy Pond on 020 7839 5400.
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