Hopes of a breakthrough in long-running saga of Stratford’s Gateway Project
HOPES are rising that a breakthrough is imminent in the long-running saga of Stratford’s Gateway Project, an idea that’s been hanging in the balance for ten years.
The Herald understands that negotiations are now under way that could – “within a few weeks” – result in a loosening of the deadlock that has stalled the proposed development for several years.
One insider with knowledge of the negotiations said this week: “It’s moving closer. An awful lot is going on behind the scenes to bring it to fruition.”
However, there is concern that Windsor Street car park, which is scheduled to be demolished under the plans, has become increasingly dilapidated through lack of repair as the years have gone by.
Last September Stratford District Council announced that a new masterplan was being drawn up to develop the site, which extends from the junction of Arden Street and Birmingham Road through to Windsor Street.
It is crucial to the council’s vision for the town, not least because the key part of the project is a new World Shakespeare Centre.
Other essentials include:
- A new gateway building at the junction of Arden Street, Clopton Road and Birmingham Road
- A hotel
- Retail space – possibly incorporating three listed buildings on site
- Offices – the council has in the past spoken about moving from Elizabeth House to the Gateway site, but has no new plans
- Apartments, which would be vital to help fund the redevelopment work
- A pedestrian route (and possibly cycle route) through the site from Arden Street to Windsor Street
- An improved coach/bus station, possibly in a new location
The multi-storey Windsor Street car park would need to be demolished – it’s already in a sorry state – and may not be replaced on the site. One of the options that will be looked at to replace the 241 parking spaces is the expansion of the Arden Street car park, adding another level.
While the district council is the largest landowner on the site, with 45 per cent of the area under its control, much of the remaining property – thought to be 11 buildings – is owned by businessman Peter Warwick.
The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) is negotiating with Mr Warwick to buy these properties as part of an investment in the scheme.
However, curiosity about exactly what is going on with the site has been triggered by the disclosure by the district council earlier this month that a “leader’s decision” had been taken to grant a further two-year option over the Windsor Street car park to Mr Warwick’s company, Gateway One Ltd (GOL), to follow on from the ten-year option agreed by the authority in December 2013. This option expires this month – April 2023.
The opposition Liberal Democrats on the district council have questioned why the company had been given a further two-year option on the site.
In a statement, the Lib Dems said: “As yet there has been no discernible development on this important site. The council states, ‘no viable scheme has been identified over the last eight years’, without details as to why a further two-year option will change this.
“This is just the latest in a number of delays to infrastructure and regeneration projects in the town. Improvements to the Birmingham Road were constantly put off, with still no date announced for the new entrance to the Tesco site.
“A further consultant’s study has been announced to look at the previous two consultant’s studies on sustainable options to the South Western Relief Road. Improvements to the town centre failed to get government funding.
“Residents are telling me that the town is looking tired,” said Cllr Jenny Fradgley (Lib Dem, Stratford Guildhall). “We need to see more urgency, not just to propose projects, but to actually get them delivered.
“Both the Birmingham Road and the Gateway projects have been going for nearly ten years now and the granting of the extra two-year option to the developer presumably means that the Windsor Street car park will continue in its run down condition.”
Despite the Lib Dems’ concerns, there is clearly a reason why the option has been extended. A paper presented to councillors declares that the site remains a key link between the emerging Canal Quarter development, the historic town centre and the Riverside Corridor.
The paper states that the council is keen to see the site regenerated and opened up to improve connectivity to the town. And it reminds councillors that in February 2022 the ruling cabinet considered a report with an option to purchase the land. The cabinet decided not to do this, but chose instead to work with the WMCA to bring the land into public ownership.
“Since this decision of cabinet, work has been going on with the WMCA with a view to acquiring the site,” says the paper. “This process has taken significantly longer than was initially envisaged and the Gateway One option over the land is due to expire in April.
“In light of the pending expiry of the current option agreement, GOL have requested that the option be extended for a further two years to allow the transaction to complete.”
Referring to the envisaged World Shakespeare Centre, the paper says that work on developing this concept and an overall masterplan for the site is advancing. It says there are currently prospects of achieving this ambition either by a purchase of the site by the WMCA or through the purchase by an interested private investor and a “partnership delivery” of the World Shakespeare Centre.
The paper adds: “The pace of redevelopment of the Stratford Gateway site has been very slow. In recent times significant progress has been made in terms of potential land acquisition, either through the WMCA or a private investor in master planning the site and, through the SBT [Shakespeare Birthplace Trust], in developing the concept of the World Shakespeare Centre.
“The land option helps in binding the site together, giving confidence to investors that a holistic redevelopment of the site can be achieved and will be the key to the delivery of the masterplan once adopted.”
