Work on Shrewsbury's Square to start in new year

The contentious Princess House scheme will continue in January after the first stage of work happened in August and September, allowing for the opening of the expanded Viyella store.

Developer Rockspring was given permission for the controversial scheme this year following a public inquiry after more than 70 objections were sent to the Department for Transport by organisations including Shrewsbury Town Council and Shrewsbury Civic Society.

Discussions are taking place with three potential new tenants to take over vacant units in the building from February after the work is complete.

It will represent one of several major changes to the make-up of The Square in the next year, with the long-delayed £10.5 million Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery finally due to open in the old Music Hall building in spring.

It is due to be followed by the arrival of a new Carluccio's restaurant, which has been given planning permission to take over the Jane Dyas building next to the Music Hall, creating 35 jobs.

James Tibbles, project manager for the Princess House scheme, said work will soon start on the three vacant units currently in the building.

"At the beginning of next year, we will bring forward the shop fronts on Cafe Esp and then the other two," he said.

He said it was hoped the work would be completed by mid-February with discussions currently taking place with potential tenants to move into the stores after their frontages are moved forward five feet to make them more visible to customers.

He said he could not reveal who may be moving into the empty units, but added the potential tenant for the former Cafe Esp shop would represent a "significant coup" for Shrewsbury.

Mr Tibbles added negotiations are still taking place with Starbucks on when or if it will have its frontage moved forward.

The changes to Princess House will come ahead of the long-awaited opening of the Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery which is due to take place early next year.

A meeting of Destination Shrewsbury was told earlier this month by Shropshire Council tourism officer Alison Patrick that the site should finally open its doors to the public in the spring.

The opening of the new museum has been delayed for more than two years due to structural problems at the site uncovered during the construction process.

Councillor Andrew Bannerman, who represents Quarry and Coton Hill, said traffic management in The Square would be important once the new museum opens.

He said he would be looking for the council to impose tighter restrictions on the number of taxis and other vehicles using the space.

Councillor Bannerman said he was looking forward to the museum opening, but added a number of issues in the Square needed to be addressed.

The councillor, who was one of main opponents to the Princess House development, said the changes to the retail units will have a negative impact on the Square.

"What you will find is for events like the Christmas Cracker, everything will be squashed up much more than it is now."