Developers express interest in civic centre
SEVERAL developers have shown 'very serious' interest in buying the Civic Centre in Stoke, council leaders said today.
The authority is attempting to sell off land and buildings including the former Spode Works, Civic Centre, Stoke Town Hall, King's Hall, Gordon House and Kingsway car park ahead of its move to Hanley's Central Business District (CBD) in 2015.
It said 29 businesses have expressed an interest – some 'now very serious' – and reiterated that the land will be developed to coincide with the relocation.
Kingsway car park could be transformed into housing to help cash in on Government grant incentives for building new homes.
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Critics say spending of up to £55 million in loaned money to fund the move is 'lavish', and that Stoke will become a 'ghost town' without footfall from council workers.
But the authority says private businesses will follow its move to the CBD, creating thousands of jobs.
Council leader Mohammed Pervez said: "We're fully aware of concerns but there will be footfall in Stoke. The CBD is about investment in the city, and it's why we're moving to the city centre.
"We've got to manage our budgets but we've also got to regenerate the city. Its future lies in jobs.
"I know there is a view that our city is six towns but if I am honest, where we are at the moment is not good enough. We have to compete with the most successful city centres in the country and the entire city will benefit from that."
Independent councillor Dave Conway, leader of the opposition, said: "You don't borrow money like it's going out of fashion at a time when the entire country is in the middle of austerity."
6 Comments
by Redpitlad
Thursday, February 07 2013, 4:40PM
“Been into Hanley today! which in its self is a rarity....having parked up on tesco for FREE..me and the mrs walk up to the pottery shopping centre ....the town is run down with empty shops and crumbling buildings how the hell will spending £60 million on a glass palace bring business in to the town bar the footfall of the workers who used work stoke but will now use Hanley....the business rate lost!,,,,will not be made up in Hanley...when the shop close in stoke.”
by rubythursday
Thursday, February 07 2013, 1:24PM
“"I know there is a view that our city is six towns but....."
surely it is a FACT, not a view, that the city of stoke on trent IS six towns.”
by mowcopman
Thursday, February 07 2013, 12:47PM
“I like the idea that encouraging a city to grow means abandoning one part of it to set up shop somewhere else. What qualifications and experience does Mr Pervez have exactly to make these decisions?
Pity you all SOT tax payers.”
by spudder56
Thursday, February 07 2013, 12:35PM
“by BucknallMelThursday, February 07 2013, 12:23PM
"Name them. Nobody will believe your bs unless you show us actual letters from actual businesses with the readies to make a serious offer (and not your mates in disguise, Mo, we're not that daft). As for turning Kingsway car park into housing - who the hell would want to live in cardboard kennels built in the middle of a rotting town centre with nothing but charity shops around them?"
HERE HERE
Read more: http://tinyurl.com/baw2uz4
Follow us: @thisisstaffs on Twitter | thisisstaffordshire on Facebook”
by BucknallMel
Thursday, February 07 2013, 12:23PM
“Name them. Nobody will believe your bs unless you show us actual letters from actual businesses with the readies to make a serious offer (and not your mates in disguise, Mo, we're not that daft). As for turning Kingsway car park into housing - who the hell would want to live in cardboard kennels built in the middle of a rotting town centre with nothing but charity shops around them?”
by spudder56
Thursday, February 07 2013, 10:00AM
“IN YOUR DREAMS PEZZER GO NOW”