Revealed: The £250m shopping centre to transform Hanley (+PICTURES)
THIS is the vision for a £250 million shopping centre set to open in Hanley by 2013.
The detailed artists' impressions of the planned East West Centre go on show to shoppers for the first time today.
Developer Realis Estates has submitted its planning application for the centre, featuring a three-level department store, 70 stores and a host of cafes and restaurants.
Its application also features a multi-screen cinema, hotel, new bus station and multi-storey parking.
But the plan signals the end of the award-winning Coachmakers Arms pub, which would still be demolished under the plans.
Realis hopes the East West Centre will create more than 2,000 jobs and help Hanley to tempt shoppers back from Manchester and Birmingham.
It has spent £30 million acquiring land in Hanley and £1.5 million preparing the application.
Work should start in 2010 once the developer has got planning permission, sorted out road closures and compulsory purchases of land, and temporarily relocated the existing bus station. Initial talks have started with stores interested in filling the main department store.
Realis managing director Duncan Mathieson, said: "With the quality of our plans we are talking about high street names which are not in a city very much 'under-shopped' at the moment.
"We are very excited. It is a great time for us to lodge this planning application.
"We said in June that this was our goal and some people were concerned given the financial situation.
"But we have stuck to our word, we are committed to this scheme and have done it on time."
International firm Benoy has drawn up outline plans for a landmark centre which makes full use of its hillside location.
Architect Chris Stammers said: "It is a fantastic project and there is a lot of enthusiasm."
Now Stoke-on-Trent City Council is working to develop a public area of independent shops and restaurants, linking the East West Centre with the existing Potteries Shopping Centre.
25 Comments
View all
by w. Terry Fox, whitehill, kidsgrove
Sunday, February 07 2010, 12:39PM
“The threatened destruction of the Coachmaker¿s Arms symbolises the suffocation of a community ¿ the many ¿ for the financial profit of the few - the few who don¿t live here anyway; the annihilation of our chosen local way of life for the sake of turning the resulting wasteland into new playing fields for the out-of-town retail sportsperson.
¿Here¿s to human rights
The Coachmaker¿s fight
The right to live our lives without hinder
Leave our boozer where it stands
Take your council and its plans
And chuck the *@!! lot through DM¿s winder.¿”
by Jase, Stoke on Trent
Monday, October 20 2008, 5:31PM
“This is amazing, It looks alot like the new Drake Circus in Plymouth, which is excellent and has certainly brought that city upto scratch.
I don't get why people want to hinder the development and economic growth of our city, in order save a few kebab houses and a pub, it's not like we're really short of those is it?
People need to understand, that for facilities to improve for residents within Stoke on Trent, money from elsewhere in the UK needs to be injected into the local economy. As lovely as people think the Coachmakers is, It certainly isn't any benefit to the vast majority of North Staffordshire's residents!”
by Andy, Longton
Saturday, October 18 2008, 2:49PM
“Great plans,its about time we arrived in the 21st century.Shame about the coachmakers but we really need this developement to go ahead as soon as possible.To Anon, it is being funded by the developers themselves and to A shopper, a cinema,restaurants,cafe's and a hotel are included in the plans.”
by Andrew, Longton
Saturday, October 18 2008, 2:43PM
“Great plans,its about time we arrived in the 21st century.Shame about the coachmakers but we really need this developement to go ahead as soon as possible. To anon,this is being funded by the developers themselves and to A shopper, a cinema,restaurants,cafe's and a hotel are included in the plans for the site.”
by mathew, meir
Saturday, October 18 2008, 7:42AM
“it looks brill great for the area”
by David, Fenton
Friday, October 17 2008, 10:59PM
“It is nice to see this city getting a face-lift, but a shame that the Coachmakers Arms is to be another pub lost and the history with it. And this is our council who prides itself on our heritage?
Matt of Leicester/Stoke is right! Why are people so negative and laid back when it comes to regeneration. By the way Matt, I'm trying to make a difference in this city and provide a park for the only town without one. Just getting back from the Land Registry with some interesting information and hopefully democracy for Stoke. Because Democracy4Stoke is Apark4Stoke!”
by patrick, stoke on trent
Friday, October 17 2008, 10:15PM
“Its nice to hear hanley is being revamped with a nice new shopping centre. But who's going to have the money to shop there?”
by sue, stoke-on-trent
Friday, October 17 2008, 5:10PM
“Its absolutely fantastic that something is being done at last to put stoke-on-trent back on the map, for the best place to go shopping.”
by chris, hanley
Friday, October 17 2008, 3:45PM
“this is great news, the more rebuilding and modernising of the city the better. no doubt moaning, stuck in a time warp locals will not appreciate it or welcome it!!”
by Amy, newcastle under lyme
Friday, October 17 2008, 2:16PM
“ok now lets be positive, anything is better than the dump thats there now, we are currently in a financial hole, so by the time this is completed, we should be better off and be able to afford to shop, Stoke on trent could actually be transformed into a really good place where people want to live.”