Major plans to redevelop Spindles shopping centre and relocate Tommyfield to be voted on

Major plans to redevelop a council-owned shopping centre to create a new market hall, offices and event space are to be decided this week.

Officers are recommending approval for proposals to transform Spindles Town Square Shopping Centre, which the council purchased in 2020 for £9.5m. The application, which was lodged earlier this year, is due to go before the planning committee to be voted on by councillors on Wednesday (June 8).

Initially a plan set into motion by former leader Sean Fielding, the redevelopment masterplan was continued under the leadership of Arooj Shah and if approved, work could begin later this year with Councillor Amanda Chadderton heading up the town hall. There have been no public objections or messages of support lodged against the application.

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Under the principle of development, the report to the committee states: “The redevelopment is central to the council’s Creating a Better Place regeneration strategy that will increase footfall in the town centre, unlock valuable brownfield sites for new homes and public open space and generate significant public benefits.”

The report states that the development will be able to accommodate 1,750 full time jobs once completed, generating around £83 million.

Under the plans the upper mall floorspace would be converted into ‘flexible high quality’ offices, which will include co-working spaces, and there would also be solar panels mounted on the roof.

Bosses have stated that council staff will be moved from the Civic Centre offices into the new Spindles site, freeing up the old council HQ site for redevelopment.

The authority says the proposals will help save more than £8m over the