Plans for East Street redevelopment go on show

5 January 2012

Plans for the redevelopment of the obsolete East Street shopping centre in Southampton’s city centre are to go on show next week at a public exhibition in the centre.

The exhibition will be held in East Street shopping centre’s covered square and will be open on Thursday, Friday and Saturday next week (12th to 14th January). The opening hours are 9.00am to 8.00pm on Thursday 12th and 9.00am to 4.00pm on both Friday 13th and Saturday 14th.

The scheme – which includes the demolition of the existing centre and the creation of an individually designed Morrisons food store – will re-establish a strong pedestrian link between St Mary’s and the city centre. This link will be further enhanced by a safe, surface-level Toucan crossing on Evans Street. The new building has been designed to give Morrisons a prestigious presence close to the city centre and it includes two levels of parking above the store for both shoppers and visitors to the city centre. The development is also expected to create some 400 new jobs.

Arcadian Estates – part of the London & Henley Property Group – has retained urban regeneration specialist Centros to manage the development and Morrisons has already signed an agreement to take a lease of the new store.

John De Stefano, Chairman of London & Henley Property Group, said: “London & Henley is a long-term investor in Southampton and our further investment in this redevelopment will restore the East Street link and deliver the new store plus hundreds of jobs. That will have a strong positive impact on the area, increase footfall to the benefit of existing East Street retailers, and help to stimulate further regeneration and investment in this area of the city centre.”

David Lewis, director of Centros, said: “We expect to submit a planning application early this spring and, if it is approved, we will aim to make a start on construction start by early next year. The completed scheme and the new store could then be ready to open during 2014.”

Councillor Royston Smith, Leader of Southampton City Council, said: “I would urge people to attend this exhibition on these exciting plans. This is a key area of the city. “East Street Shopping Centre is in need of a new lease of life as well as new jobs and a boost to the economy and I believe these proposals will help achieve that. “Southampton is set to welcome many new and exciting developments over the coming years and this is certainly one of them.”

Capital House, the adjoining office block also owned by Arcadian Estates, will become a standalone building and enhanced as part of the development. Further plans for the revitalisation of the northern side of East Street around Capital House will follow in a second phase of development by London & Henley.

For further information:

Contact: Steve Bryson:
Tel: 07970 639301 / 01242 269025
Email:steve@brysonpr.com
Website:www.eaststreet.info