Moving forward with plans to regenerate empty Stratford buildings

THE FORMER air ambulance shop in Stratford is at the centre of a move to regenerate the town centre.

Chartered surveyor James Brookes, who’s proposing a Stratford Community Regeneration Trust that would be owned and run by those living and working in the town, invited anyone interested to view the property at 21-21A Greenhill Street as an example of an empty building that could be transformed.

The aim would be to see vacant shops and derelict buildings that are currently eyesores, refurbished and turned into affordable shops and homes for locals. Developments would be funded by anyone living, working or connected with Stratford who could buy shares, from £50.

The cash would be used to buy and renovate properties and by renting out the space, it would generate income to buy and renovate more buildings.

Mr Brookes, of Complex Development Projects Ltd which specialises in urban regeneration and has steered projects including the transformation of Coventry’s creative quarter, said about 15 people came to the viewing on 22nd August. And more than 140 people have registered their interest to find out more about the scheme.

Depending on costings and planning consent, one possibility is to turn the ground floor into two small shops, with two one-bedroom apartments above.

Mr Brookes recently had a “really positive” meeting with MP Manuela Perteghella, Stratford District Council (SDC) head of development John Careford and SDC deputy leader Cllr George Cowcher (Lib Dem, Wellesbourne South).

“This is just the beginning of a conversation around whether this could work in tandem with the council, with the town trust and others working collaboratively,” he said. “John Careford and George Cowcher have a really good knowledge of property in Stratford, so it brings other things to the table if we can get agreement and a shared vision.”

He added: “We have a potential project that seems workable in terms of the acquisition and refurbishment budget, and potential return to feed back into the regeneration pot. It now seems sensible to think about the actual set up of the trust or similar and how it is structured, to start trying to collect funds to secure the property.”

At the viewing was Julie Crawshaw, project manager and fundraiser at Crawshaw Heritage and Community Projects.

Ms Crawshaw, a former executive director of the Heritage Crafts Association, has project managed for Birmingham Museums Trust, the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust and Warwickshire County Council. She said: “There is an issue in Stratford, like many towns, where premises are left vacant because owners can’t find suitable new uses for them. The key is to make sure the town centre is still thriving, that people have an opportunity to make a living here, feel safe here and that we live and use the town in as sustainable way as possible. One way to do that is to look at the empty buildings and see if they can be brought into a productive use.

“Left to market forces, development is very slow – you just have to look at the BHS site to see that. And whilst building owners are untroubled by sitting on their asset hoping to turn a profit at some point in the future, the town is left to look a mess and feels less safe.

“At the same time, people need places to live close to where they work, and emerging businesses need smaller and affordable shop or business units to rent. We have the spaces but in the wrong configuration and with no incentive by owners to bring about a meaningful change for the benefit of the town.

“The fewer vacant premises and the more people actually living in the centre ‘above the shop’, the safer the town will be.”

For more information or to register interest, see Stratford Community Regeneration Trust and virtual regeneration model for 21-21A Greenhill Street is viewable via https://tinyurl.com/vyspfdp8