Shrewsbury Riverside redevelopment a 'big risk' according to councillors

Shropshire Council's cabinet this week (WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 16) decided to press ahead with its ambitious plans to re-shape Shrewsbury's Riverside area.

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', and eventually up to two hotels, offices, and up to 270 homes.

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.

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.

The first stage will cost around £77 million, with £37 million for the new council HQ.

As part of the plans the council's cabinet has also voted to start the process of selling its current base, Shirehall at Abbey Foregate.

Despite the excitement from the council's administration, Liberal Democrat councillors, David Vasmer, and Alex Wagner, have both voiced concern over the costs of the project.

Lib Dem leader, Councillor Vasmer, said: "Most residents have no faith in Shropshire Council's ability to do a good job on this project. We will inevitably see deadlines missed, costs rising, and face logistical issues brushed over by the recent shiny document.

"This is a big risk, and I just can't see the lofty ambitions becoming a reality – whilst the immense costs will."

Councillor Wagner added: "Spending £37 million on a new HQ seems like a bitterly misplaced priority when you consider how many local services and projects are starved of funding.

"There is talk of getting big hotel chains involved, arms-length developers making a profit on 270 homes, and we all know how much of our money was spent on the shopping centre land some of this will sit on. Taxpayers are going to lose millions here, whilst developers, contractors, and consultants are going to get even richer – that balance has to be fixed."

Shropshire Council has said that the area needs to be regenerated and that it could provide a significant economic boost for the county.

Estimates from the authority say it could lead to another 750,000 people visiting every year, as well as creating 2,000 jobs.

Shropshire Council's deputy leader Ed Potter said he was confident in the plans and the financing, with capital receipts from buildings such as Shirehall set to contribute to the scheme.

He also dismissed suggestions that money for the project could be used to fund services, owing to the differences between revenue and capital projects.

He said: "The end goal is to benefit Shrewsbury and the wider county. The centres being in council ownership means this will happen. Had we not had these in our ownership the likelihood is they would not be redeveloped. I am confident and it is that the centres are in our ownership that means we can shape the regeneration of the area."

Councillor Potter said the public had also expressed considerable interest in the plans since the project was announced.

He said: "I am really pleased with the reaction from the public who are engaged, they want to see more detail, they want to see more about what it will look like architecturally. They really want to see something happen there."

Shropshire Council will meet on Thursday where it will be asked to back the cabinet's decision to progress the Riverside project and to begin the process of selling Shirehall.