A battle to stop the redevelopment of Hereford’s former livestock market intensified this week as councillors conceded to a number of demands from developer Stanhope.
Herefordshire council’s agreement to allow Stanhope, and its funding partner, British Land, to reduce the level of prelets required for the 310,000 sq ft scheme from 50% to 40% and a raft of other tweaks to its 2008 development agreement has angered opposition councillors.
Councillor Mark Hubbard, leader of campaign group It’s Our County, says the new shopping centre deal will “rip the heart out of historic Hereford”. He wants the scheme halted and the council to “concentrate on developing Hereford as a niche single market town city centre, with chain stores continuing to trade alongside the local independents”.
Hubbard claimed the Conservative-led council was trying to keep details of the concessions sought by Stanhope secret, so last week leaked cabinet papers. These show that Stanhope was seeking to reduce the level of prelets needed before construction starts to 40% of the total estimated rental value and to remove the 20% restriction on the amount of floorspace that can be let to existing city centre retailers. Stanhope also asked to appoint its preferred contractor Sir Robert McAlpine without going out to tender, to vary its agreement on phase two of the project and for a number of other changes.
Hubbard said: “It’s Our County is arguing that it would be better to delay the development while the retail world finds its feet again. The site could easily be turned into a temporary car park for the time being. A do-nothing option is a valid option and is the right one in this instance.”
The Old Market scheme has faced opposition since it was first mooted more than a decade ago. In 2009 a petition with 13,000 signatures was handed to the council calling for it to be scrapped.
The council said its agreement to the “minor changes” would finally unlock the £90m regeneration project, creating 1,000 jobs.
Stanhope got consent for the scheme, which will feature a 85,000 sq ft Debenhams, a 25,000 sq ft Waitrose, a six-screen Odeon and 60,000 sq ft of additional shops and leisure, last November. It had hoped to be on site by the spring this year, with completion scheduled for 2013.
samantha.mcclary@estatesgazette.com
