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Developers show off plans for Telford shopping centre
Tuesday 14th September 2010, 8:11PM BST.
Developers have today taken the wraps off their proposed £27 million shopping complex in Telford claiming it will transform the town and lure in thousands more shoppers.
Hark Apollo, which owns the shopping centre, said the glass-fronted development would create up to 600 permanent jobs, more than 150 construction jobs and rejuvenate the centre pulling in extra visitors.
Spokesman for Hark Jon McLeod said the centre’s owners were “just waiting for the green light” from Telford & Wrekin Council’s plans board tomorrow.
If passed, the project will see Telford town centre overhauled with a 7,950 square metre supermarket and 2,810 square metres of smaller shops, banks, restaurants, pubs, bars and offices on the site currently used by Asda and the Red Oak car park.
Mr McLeod said: “Our application is now ready for approval. It has taken nine months to get to the plans board and it will bring £27 million of investment that Telford could do with right now.
“It will create 600 more permanent jobs while keeping the 2,750 jobs already in the town centre. It will also create 160 short- term construction jobs.
“We can see that the council can, at the flick of a switch, bring in £27 million in investment, which is very good news for Telford at the moment.
“We are going through some brutal public spending cuts and the council can help that by bringing in this investment which we want to spend.
“Creating these jobs is absolutely what Hark is all about – long term investment. This development is something that is desperately needed and the officers’ report to the plans was extremely supportive.”
Despite some shops closing in the town centre, Mr McLeod said the plans would pull in more trade to Telford.
By Jason Lavan
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I admire Hawk Apollo for their consistant trying but you are fighting a losing battle. You are going to spend millions of pounds trying to get customers into the town centre, but please listen to the voices of the customers and ordinary folk.
Most importantly, drop the car parking charges…
I live less than a mile away from the Town Centre but i choose to drive to our Retail Parks because it is Free to park and i can get everything i need there, Why should i pay a third party money to have the privalage to spend my money there.
Why do you think ASDA is getting out ( they are the biggest supermarket in UK ) but they cant losses…
All i can say is spend whatever you want ( as long as it’s not taxpayers money ) and you can make it look as modern as you want but money talks…….. See you on the Retail Park….
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And those thousands of shoppers (who haven’t heard about the recession) will park where?
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Doesn’t look much better than the current shopping centre, in my opinion. To me, this kind of design is just a tarted up 60′s block – with a lot more glass.
Where’s the actual design? It’s just a glass box.
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They’ve forgotten to include the yachts gliding past – all the best artists’ impressions have them…..
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Abolishing parking fees will also help bring in more people
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I used to visit the centre once or twice a week – but refuse to pay the parking fees. I only visit two or three times a year now – and I know I am not the only one who would visit more often if the car parking fees were abolished. There are plenty of other places to go where driving is easier and free parking.
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im loving the first couple of replies talk about glass being half empty ! cheer up
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I see we’ve got off to a great start with the announcement of 3 new shops arriving, The Hub (tat), Wilkinsons, and a kebab shop !
I agree with the design point, will our future generations look on these buildings with pride ?
I too have kept away from the place since they introduced parking charges, and I can get a decent kebab from Wellington.
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