News

GROUP ACHIEVES DOUBLE PLANNING SUCCESS

February 2009

The Howard Group have been successful with two planning applications this month; the Werrington Centre in Peterborough and St John's Retail Park in Bedford. The Cambridge-based property Group owns and manages both sites.

Werrington Centre Redevelopment - Phase I.

At their February 17th meeting, Peterborough City Council planners approved resolutions to refurbish the Centre, including a new 75,000 sq ft Tesco superstore, a pub restaurant, additional retail units and new public spaces.

Tesco began trading at the shopping Centre in January last year having acquired the lease on the old Rainbow foodstore from Anglia Regional Co-operative Society. They subsequently refitted the store, reopening as a 'standard' Tesco branch having retained existing Co-op staff.

The refurbishment of the Centre is a major part of the initial phase of comprehensive proposals submitted to planning officers by HPG Developments, the development arm of the Howard Group. The masterplan for the Centre's regeneration will include a new row of shops, new public space, increased parking facilities, and a new roundabout. The Ploughman pub will also be re-located to a plot next door to Tesco as a purpose built pub restaurant, opening out onto a proposed new public square. Landscaping and new safety and security measures will also be introduced.

HPG Developments Director, William Jewson said; "We are delighted with the result. The company has been working closely with the local community and council officials on the project for the past three years and this is a very significant juncture in its development. We want to bring people back to the Werrington Centre to enjoy a worthwhile retail experience as well as improving trade for our independent retailers. The redevelopment of the Werrington Centre will provide a much needed lift to the area. All existing retailers on the site affected by the redevelopment have been relocated into newly refurbished units."

The first phase development is part of a wider plan for the regeneration of the whole site which will be considered in liaison with other landowners and stakeholders. Proposals are likely to include additional homes, offices, shops, leisure and health facilities.  

Bedford town planners, at their February 16^th meeting, granted planning to widen usage on St John's Retail Park.  

The retail park is owned and managed by the Howard Group and houses major retail tenants Homebase, Halfords, PC World, Allied Carpets, Comet, Carpetright, Currys and Maplin.The site is also home to Howard House, a four storey 11,000 sq ft office headquarters building.    

Howard Property Group Director, Michael Summers, commented; "The improved planning consent will benefit the retail park significantly. We are now in a position to be able to offer far more flexibility to our tenants as well as having the potential to broaden the retail offering on the site in the future. We will be working closely with our existing tenants and consultants, Savills, on various options for the future.The site is situated on one of Bedford's main arterial routes into the town and has always been a thriving retail centre, this latest development will improve the vitality still further."