First look at how Shrewsbury town centre could change as Riverside plans revealed
Plans for the biggest redevelopment of Shrewsbury in decades have been revealed for the first time.
Shropshire Council has lifted the lid on its ambitions for the Riverside area of the town – with a proposal that would fundamentally alter a key town-centre location.
The plans would see the demolition of the Riverside Centre, as well as the nearby Raven Meadows multi-storey car park, bus station and Pride Hill Shopping Centre – which closed last year.
In their place will be a new leisure site, with intentions for it to host a cinema, a new multi-agency base or 'Shirehall', a 'transport hub', up to two hotels, offices, and up to 270 homes.
A main feature of the plan is improving the public space, providing a destination for people to visit.
Estimates from the council say it could lead to another 750,000 people visiting every year, as well as creating 2,000 jobs.
It could also include a quayside running along the bank of the River Severn, as well as a new footbridge to replace the current one from Frankwell Car Park to Riverside.
Although Smithfield Road would effectively disappear, the plan does include the potential for traffic to travel from the Welsh Bridge towards the railway station – but the area would be created on a 'shared space' theme, with the intention to discourage the use of cars.
The project is also linked, although not wedded to plans for the £81 million North West Relief Road, which would reduce the number of cars expected to use the road.
Under the plans the Pride Hill Centre would be replaced with a potential cinema and the current Gap Car Park would become the 'transport hub', with space to park between 400 and 450 cars.
The site of the current Riverside would be the multi-agency hub, with aims for the building to house up to 200 council workers as well as meeting rooms and a civic chamber.
The council said it is also in discussions with other public sector organisations to share the building.
Councillor Ed Potter, deputy leader and portfolio holder for economic growth, regeneration and planning, said the project had the potential to bring huge investment to the town, and the county.
He said: "If you take a look at the Riverside now it is tired, not fit for purpose, this area of the town is in desperate need of regeneration, we are not using our greatest asset. We have turned our back to the river and we want to work with the ideas in the Big Town Plan to bring forward more usable space for pedestrians, cyclists, it is the regeneration of an area that is long overdue.
"This will ultimately be a very exciting development that will bring huge value – and that benefit is not just economic growth but tourism."
The initial idea is for the development to take place in stages, with the new civic and transport hubs created first.
The council said that it hopes to begin demolition of the Riverside area in February next year, and finish by March 2024. It then will aim to build and occupy the offices by March 2026.
Other stages - featuring housing, further office space, and hotels - would come after and would involve commercial partners.
A statement from the council said: "This is a major opportunity to transform Shrewsbury’s town centre for generations, creating a truly 21st century destination and experience, taking the town to the water to create a stunning riverside attraction.
"This is the future of Shrewsbury that respects its past, reconnects it to the River Severn, transforming how we work, how we spend our leisure time and what the town has to offer.
"The river has always been central to Shrewsbury and this now brings that full circle to create a new focal point and a fresh addition to a historic town centre, in tune with the fast-changing world around us, opening up to one of Shrewsbury’s greatest assets – the Severn.
"This is a game-changing mixed-use development combining new leisure attractions, vibrant hospitality and public space, a new quayside and hotels to support the town’s existing retail while bringing new workspace that can attract high quality jobs into the town."
The council's cabinet will be asked to approve the master plan at its meeting on Wednesday, February 16.
