Developer for Hereford’s new retail quarter to be named this week

Hereford's revitalisation as a shopping, business and leisure destination takes a major step forward this week. Herefordshire Council and the board of ESG Herefordshire will announce the preferred developer for the city's retail and leisure quarter on Thursday (28 February 2008).

This 12.5-acre retail development, just north of the inner ring road that circles the city's historic core, will create 1500 new jobs and will need 600 workers to build it. Almost entirely owned by Herefordshire Council, the retail and leisure quarter is the first slice in the regeneration of the entire 100-acre ESG site - Hereford's biggest development project since the building of its ancient cathedral in the twelfth century.

The final choice of one of three bidders requires the agreement of the board of ESG and the council's cabinet, which meets on Thursday (28 February). It also requires the blessing of Advantage West Midlands, which together with the council set up the ESG joint venture company to breathe new life into the economy of Hereford, whilst supporting its medieval core with its traditional tourism and shopping attractions.

Work will start on the retail and leisure quarter in the spring of 2010, after the relocation of the city's livestock market to a new site to the north east of Hereford. The council will also relocate its Info Shop within the ESG civic quarter. The plans include Hereford's first multi-screen cinema, a host of cafes, bars and bistros, a department store and high quality retail outlets, all helping to generate a thriving new evening economy. A new link road is planned to help ease the city's traffic congestion.

"This week sees an exciting stage in the creation of a new and vibrant retail quarter for Hereford", said leader of the council Roger Phillips. "The appointment of a developer crystallises our aspirations for our city and our county. The new quarter will galvanise our local economy, bring in more visitors, create more jobs and provide excitement and entertainment for everyone, not least our young people who need more leisure opportunities as well as a reason to stay in and invest part of their future with us in Herefordshire".

Clive Richards OBE DL, chair of the ESG board, added: "The project has won overwhelming support from local people, who see it as a golden opportunity to help create a new Hereford for the 21st century. The new retail quarter will attract new visitors but also let our community see the city in a new light. From the very beginning we have worked with established city centre retailers and undertaken to ensure the new quarter will complement the historic city centre, so that everyone can share it its success".

The successful developer will progress the planning process, negotiate with various agencies, demolish existing buildings and construct the approved scheme, letting to retailers, restaurants, and leisure providers, and manage the completed scheme according to its agreement with Herefordshire Council.

Each of the three development companies - Centros Miller, Modus and Stanhope - can demonstrate successful projects that required innovation and sensitive development around the historic hearts of British towns and cities. Modus is working on projects in Newport, Swindon, Crewe, Wigan and Wakefield and a department store features in most of the schemes. Centros Miller is converting Bury St Edmunds livestock market into a new retail centre, whilst its £400m city centre regeneration scheme in historic Portsmouth, with a major department store as its anchor point, closely mirrors the plans for Hereford. Stanhope, with several major London developments under its belt, is currently redeveloping the town centres of Bracknell and Stevenage.

Extensive consultation has been undertaken both by the three developers and by ESG, concluding with a four-day event at the Left Bank Village, Hereford in November 2007, when physical models of schemes were displayed.

Bounded by Commercial Road, Blueschool Street and Edgar Street, the ESG area stretches up to Hereford railway station. The entire project will take 15 years to complete and will also include a 1000-home urban village recreating the old Hereford to Gloucester canal basin and improving the Widemarsh Brook; as well as a new civic quarter and several new town squares, new boulevards linking the railway station to the city centre and a natural wildlife habitat.