Revamp of historic Shrewsbury Square sparks row
Thursday 15th December 2011, 10:59AM GMT.
A row has broken out over proposed changes to a building in Shrewsbury’s historic Square.
Developers have submitted plans which will see the recessed shop fronts on Princess House, next to The Square brought forward in keeping with the historic building line.
They say replacing and relocating the shop fronts will create a ‘new, uniform and coherent shop front’ which will boost trade in the town.
The changes will affect a number of shops including Starbucks coffee house, Viyella clothes shop and the RAF careers office.
But John Hall from Shop in the Loop has slammed the plans, saying: “I am not in favour of this, I think it is a rotten idea and it will destroy the nature of The Square. I think it would be a great shame if people can no longer sit outside the cafes.”
And Shrewsbury Town Council and Shrewsbury Town Centre Residents Association have also raised objections to the proposals, claiming they will hinder events from taking place in The Square.
Residents association spokesman said: “Apart from giving The Square a special character, the jetting has provided certain positive elements.
“It makes the paved area larger so that whenever events take place the public has more space to enjoy and to move.”
A statement by Helen Ball on behalf of Shrewsbury Town Council said: “Princess House is situated adjacent to The Square, one of the most significant spaces in Shrewsbury in terms of its architectural merit, its heritage and also its social capacity to act as a place to dwell.”
But developers say the plans will boost The Square and bring it into line with other developments such as The Bull Ring in Birmingham and The Victoria Quarter in Leeds.
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The last paragraph really does make me wonder. Bringing the Square “into line” with the Bull Ring?? Eh??
Sorry, but these “developers” need to return to the reality-based community.
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Bullring? I despair. There are no empty shops and the markets are terrific.
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The Bullring? What are these people on? I certainly don’t want any of it. Perhaps I should be brave and re-join the town centre residents’. association.
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The fisrt mistake they made was to build Princess House in the first place so lets not compound this by extending it even further for an overpriced coffee shop and a clothes shop -come on have a bit of common sense, don’t distroy one of the few remaining nice places in Shrewsbury we already have two shopping centres which are half empty and faceless – who wants to live in a carbon copy of inner city Birmingham? Forget it !!
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Please somebody start a petition and get this stopped! There is nothing sensible about this idea and who in their right mind would compare an ancient town square like Shrewsbury’s with the Bull Ring?
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Good idea Bellvue
I’m away for Christmas and New Year but when I return I’ll find out details of the plans, collect signatures and re-join the Town Centre Residents’ Association.
Best, Kat.
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Since when has STCRA ever supported the idea of outdoor seating in the town centre.
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Perhaps everyone should take a step back and view the plans online before jumping onto the petitioning band wagon.
The proposal is part of a two-stage renewal to convert the upper floors to residential and enhance the facade at all levels. That starts at modernising the ground floor shop fronts. View the plans here:
http://planningpa.shropshire.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=LT7VXGTD02B00
Anyone defending Princess House’s design merits in such a setting needs their eyes examined.
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As a shopper, I am of course of limited intelligence. I therefore find areas that have non-uniform shop fronts confusing, incoherent and I avoid them lest I become completely disorientated and find myself standing on my head and trying to buy things from a litter bin (again).
It’s alright complaining about these plans, but won’t somebody think of the thickies!
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For god sake is any elected member in our town of Shrewsbury going to stand up and say this is Shrewsbury a small market town NOT LEEDS, AND GOD HELP US NOT THE BULL RING.
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may i suggest the council do something useful and demolish the whole modern eyesore building and replace it with the beautiful georgian shirehall so crassly demolished by previous idiot planners 50 years ago. those planners should have been shot for what they did to shrewsbury
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