£200m restaurant and cafe plans approved for Telford town centre
Plans for Telford Shopping Centre's new Southern Quarter have been given approval – and work to build restaurants and cafes could start next spring, bosses said today.
Telford & Wrekin Council planning officers have used delegated powers to grant approval.
They are for the first phase of the £200 million transformation of the shopping centre and form part of plans to transform the whole of Telford town centre.
The Southern Quarter development follows hot on the heels of the £250 million Southwater project.
It will see five or six restaurants or cafes, totalling 26,500 sq ft, built on the site of the eyesore former Focus store nicknamed the "Green Shed".
Shopping centre bosses say they hope the new quarter will provide a "vibrant link" between the new Asda store, Southwater and the shopping centre.
Tim Binnington, chairman of Sovereign Land, the company overseeing the work, said: "The Southern Quarter will meet demand for more restaurant and café space, which has already been demonstrated by the huge success of Southwater.
"We are in discussion with a number of potential occupiers for the units.
"Now that we have planning consent, we can start to formalise these negotiations and we hope to be able to confirm names soon. We're delighted to have been granted permission for this exciting development, as it marks the first part of our plans to revitalise the whole of Telford Shopping Centre."
He said the cafés and restaurants would be housed in a contemporary new building, designed by Benoy, featuring an "elegant curved façade" and a striking "gateway" tower facing Brown Elm car park.
At the same time, a newly paved area will provide space for outdoor seating. Mr Binnington said the Southern Quarter was the first part of the five-year masterplan.
