‘Eyesore’ shopping precinct ‘holding city back’ set for demolition

A derelict shopping centre is “holding back Stoke-on-Trent” according to the council which has announced plans for its demolition.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council said it is aiming to buy the East-West precinct in Hanley “in the interests of businesses, residents, visitors and the city centre’s image and regeneration”.

A report will go before a special meeting of the council’s cabinet on October 2, where council leaders are set to give the go ahead for the land acquisition and demolition.

The move would see the council, which already owns the old bus station part of the site, buy a number of individual properties or parcels of land to gain control of the majority of the site, subject to final agreement at a full council meeting on October 18.

Demolition work could start on site as early as January, with the site cleared and a car park built for short-term use.

The council said it will begin looking at the long-term options of the site with a focus on community, leisure, commercial and residential developments.

Plans for the potential new youth centre are yet to be confirmed however the council’s ideas include a boxing and martial arts gym, film and multi-media rooms and an outdoor activity space.

The council would spend around £4m on acquiring the site and demolishing buildings, with a further £3.5m earmarked for the youth facility.

Cllr Ann James, leader of Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to shape the city centre and we can’t let it slip by. The alternative is to sit back and watch the site be sold piece-by-piece over the next five to 15 years with no certainty involved, and we can’t afford for that to happen as a city.”

Cllr Daniel Jellyman, cabinet member for regeneration, transport and heritage at the city centre, said the decision by Realis Estates not to pursue their Unity Walk development was “while disappointing”, it presents the council with a “unique one-off opportunity”.

He said: “This is a site with huge potential, linking the excellent Potteries Centre and Hive with the burgeoning Smithfield development, and we want a development that matches our ambition and aspiration for the city. It has to be something that complements what we already have and gives people a reason to come to the city centre.”

Duncan Mathieson, managing director of Realis Estates said: “We have spent many years putting together this strategically important site and were obviously disappointed that – despite significant investment of both time and money – we were unable to bring forward a development.

“My historic connection with Stoke-on-Trent meant that I was keen to keep the site as a whole and – prior to fully marketing the site – we approached the city council with a view to selling them our interests in order to ensure that the opportunity to transform this end of the city centre wasn’t lost.

“We have worked closely with the council over the past few months to agree a fair price and ensure that progress towards demolition could move forward while we completed the sale.  We wish them every success in the future and have no doubt they will transform this site as they have Smithfield and other parts of the city.”