Mall to breathe new life into empty Oswestry shop
A large, empty shop in Oswestry could be transformed into a boutique shopping mall, part of plans to rejuvenate the town's retail centre.
The Little Mall would see the former Burtons and Dorothy Perkins store in Cross Street become an arcade of about four small stores with community staff facilities.
Agents for the owners of the building say each unit would either be rates free or if not of a very low rates charge. It is keen to hear from members of the public who would be interested in the scheme.
Earlier this year Oswestry successfully bid for £500,000 through the government's High Streets Heritage Action Zone with council officers and others involved meeting a tight deadline to get its bid in.
The majority of the fund is expected to spent on essential repairs to historic buildings and developing educational projects to turn the sites into community hubs.
Other ideas include developing tourism and helping to increase skills shortages in areas like stone masonry.
Oswestry Town Council has been working towards putting new life into empty shops in the town for more than five years.
Celt Rowlands and Co, agents for the scheme has posted a notice on the window of the empty property this week. It says the owner is considering the redevelopment of the ground floor.
Architect, DPA says it has been commissioned to design a potential configuration for the shops.
"Working together with Celt Rowlands, DPA hopes that the proposed scheme will be completed between Spring and Summer 2020," a spokesman said.
The Heritage Action Zone money was bid for thanks to Future Oswestry, a group of representatives from Shropshire and Oswestry Town Councils and Oswestry's Business Improvement District. Members of the Future . Members of Future Oswestry led the push for funding.
Oswestry High Street Heritage Action Zone saw the town secure a share of the £95 million that Historic England has been allocated to support transformational projects for historic towns and high streets.
The object of the fund is to make high streets across the UK more attractive, engaging and vibrant places for people to live, work and spend time.
It has been designed to secure lasting improvements to historic high streets and the communities who use them.
The grant from Historic England will be used over four years.
Its aim is to provide for the full costs of a project officer, 50 per cent of the proposed physical grants programme of £300,000 and 50 per cent of the £100,000 cultural programme.
Shropshire Council and Oswestry Town Council have been asked to put money towards £150,000 of match funding over the four year life of the scheme.
