Traders must make way for council HQ
EIGHT businesses will be forced to leave their premises to make way for a flagship city centre regeneration project.
Traders in Broad Street, Hanley, will lose ownership of their buildings under compulsory purchase orders to allow work on the Central Business District (CBD) to continue.
Stoke-on-Trent City Council is to buy up the properties 'within months' to allow developers to clear the site.
The cost of the compulsory purchase orders has not been disclosed and the authority is yet to confirm which eight businesses will be affected.
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Regeneration leaders say the CBD is a crucial part of Hanley's revival which will create thousands of private sector jobs in four premium office blocks, two hotels and a series of shops and cafes.
But it is at the centre of a bitter campaign by residents who fear Stoke town will be cut adrift by the council's plans to boost investment in the CBD by relocating to a new £40 million headquarters at the heart of the development.
Lynn Shemirani, aged 54, of Tittensor, has run the Quartermaster store on Broad Street for 29 years. She said: "We still haven't received any formal notification. We won't make any concrete plans until we hear for definite.
"It will be very sad to leave. We would like to carry on elsewhere but after almost 30 years in one place it may be difficult to take our customers with us.
"A lot of people that come in are visiting after a couple of years gap, and others come in with their children after visiting here when they were young.
"It's those customers we will have trouble informing if we have to move."
Kevin Broad, who has run The Gentry Hairdressers on Broad Street for 39 years, added: "It looks as though we will have to move. I'm currently in discussions with the council over what happens."
Some businesses, including Hancock's Pet Centre, Wonderland fancy dress shop and Rendezvous takeaway, have already relocated as part of the CBD's development.
Councillor Ruth Rosenau, cabinet member for regeneration, planning and transport, said: "There are eight properties affected by CPOs on the front of Broad Street.
"These will be acquired as part of the redevelopment of the CBD over the course of the next few months.
"The £180 million CBD development will create at least 300 construction jobs and up to 4,500 new jobs when all six phases have been completed.
"It will also stimulate private sector confidence in the city."
Comments
by I_Norris
Friday, September 07 2012, 9:02PM
“amartinone: agreed the Spode and Civic Centre in a prime location near to Train Station and A500 the perfect place for a Business District one could argue.
How can the 2 sites Hanley and Stoke be marketed together surely they compete with each other?
wont any offices considering Stoke on Trent simply decide to buy the Civic on the cheap”
by Lammy55
Friday, September 07 2012, 1:53PM
“What's going to happen to The Civic centre and Swan House in Stoke?
There is plenty of waste land in Stoke to build extra buildings, but where is the money coming from.
Mo and co. might build the offices and make more people redundant.
Why don't the council have their wages dropped from what they earn now.
I would say at least a 30% drop.
The man in charge of regeration got in the year 2010 £750,000 for the year, what did he do?”
by Notanumber
Friday, September 07 2012, 1:13PM
“Here's an idea Stoke council how you can save £40m you do not have.... Do you need me to go on?
Good luck S-o-T taxpayers in any attempt to get value for money for your hard earned cash frittered away on unesscessary council projects and also preventing a hike in your tax demand from that lot.”
by amartinone
Friday, September 07 2012, 10:17AM
“Oops double post sorry.”
by amartinone
Friday, September 07 2012, 10:03AM
“The CBD and new council headquarters are happening, move on. Instead of moaning about the loss of the Civic Centre, we need to start thinking about its replacement, or we'll end up with another Tesco Extra.
Together, the Spode and Civic Centre make up a large plot of land (as large as Manchester's MEN Arena!), in a prime location. We need to start campaigning for something substantial that takes uses the site's advantages and brings more jobs and trade into the town and wider city.”
by amartinone
Friday, September 07 2012, 9:57AM
“The CBD and new council headquarters are happening, move on. Instead of moaning about the loss of the Civic Offices in Stoke, we need to start thinking about their replacement, or we'll end up with another Tesco Extra in the city. We need to campaign for something far more substantial for the town, that takes advantage of this large plot of land in a prime location and brings new jobs and trade into the town and wider city. This could be a blessing in a disguise if we do it right.”
by yamahaman
Thursday, September 06 2012, 8:49PM
“It is so easy spending others money, and if the council don't have the cash they can always borrow it, paying it back will not be the concern of those spending what they have not got .
How can services to the youth and elderly be cut while wasting so much money on a project which must be so low down in the list.
Have the council no shame, how do they sleep at night. Yes the City needs regeneration, you don't need to look far to see where.
Scrap this half brain idea, spend the money on new housing if you have to spend it, not another posh Town Hall”
by rubythursday
Thursday, September 06 2012, 12:59AM
“"Regeneration leaders say the CBD is a crucial part of Hanley's revival"
I thought they said the sity sentral would regenerate hanley!
Dizzy1960 well done for stating that stoke is the obvious choice for a CBD due to its location and transport links.
it would have made far more sense to develop the spode site which adjoins the civic centre.”
by WebMonkey1
Wednesday, September 05 2012, 1:36PM
“If the council really need to sink their teeth into a project. Why don't they work on improving everyones lot, rather than just their own needs.”
by Anon_mow_cop
Wednesday, September 05 2012, 12:40PM
“The only reason the council are moving it offices to the CBD is to try and avoid another "Worldgate" scandal, but this one is doomed to failure as well and will cost the ratepayers of Stoke a lot of money, which could have been spent on more benefical projects.I suspect all those involved in this move will have long departed when the brown stuff hits the fan, years from now.”