Details in for £15m Walkden Town Centre revamp
The Derwent Group wants to demolish more than 40% of the 447,000 sq ft shopping centre to create a more modern complex.
A total of 180,000 sq ft of retail space, located around the Victoria Square and Egerton Walk sections of Walkden Town Centre, is to be razed according to the plans submitted to Salford City Council.
The application from The Derwent Group, which manages the 3m sq ft commercial property portfolio of the Albert Gubay Foundation, would also see the creation of a new façade for the shopping centre, improved public realm, and the refurbishment of 80,000 sq ft of existing retail space.
The Derwent Group estimates the project will have a £15m price tag. It hopes to appoint a contractor within a few months. Pending planning approval, the company believes the improved Walkden Town Centre could be complete by the end of 2025.
Aerial view of the proposed changes at Walkden Town Centre. Credit: via consultation documents
The proposed demolition area is largely vacant units with only 27 of the 73 storefronts occupied. Most of the existing tenants will relocate to a newer section of the mall – one that does not date back approximately 60 years. Of late, the Victoria Square and Egerton Walk sections have been characterised by a large number of buckets placed throughout their corridors, a temporary solution to “significant leakages” described in a planning statement by Savills.
In demolishing Victoria Square and Egerton Walk, The Derwent Group has also cleared two plots of land for future development. These will be used in the meantime as makeshift event spaces, perhaps holding makers markets, football events, or an ice rink.
RGP Architects worked alongside The Derwent Group on crafting the proposals for the new façade and 7,500 sq ft of modern units. Artal is the scheme’s project manager.
The Derwent Group hopes to finish the new façade in 2025. Credit: via Derwent Group
The submission of the planning application follows a public consultation this autumn. According to The Derwent Group asset manager Scott Hall, the consultation feedback was “both positive and constructive and clearly demonstrated how important Walkden Town Centre is to the local community”.
He added: “By creating an appealing and sustainable retail environment, we will be able to offer a more efficient and economical operational solution for the centre’s retailers, helping to attract new names which will ultimately, have a significant positive impact on the area.
“We are already exploring options with a variety of exciting new potential operators who are looking to move into the centre,” he concluded.
In addition to Savills, Artal, and RGP, the project team for Walkden Town Centre’s revamp includes landscape designer Sarah Byrne, CEMP creator Safer Sphere, biodiversity net gain and ecology expert Bowland Ecology, and flood risk advisor WML Consulting. Rounding out the team are noise consultant E3P, air quality expert Redmore Environmental, and transport consultant Systra.
Barker Proud Love and Graham Sibbald are the letting agents for the retail complex.
You can learn more about this application by searching reference number PA/2023/0370 on Salford City Council’s planning portal.
Excellent news. Look forward to the redeveloped centre!
By Geraldine
Seems a bit small time for Systra?
By Quintis
Great news !! About time 👍😆
By Helen Kelly
A public consultation ‘this fall’. Really? Have we just been transported to the US?
By Anonymous
Apologies – my native language snuck in. Have corrected!
By Julia Hatmaker
Without any high density residential included I fear this redevelopment will go the same way as all the others
By Anonymous
Well it can’t get any worse than it is now
By Anonymous
Residential will come later as the plans show that some of the outdoor space is only temporary. They will probably look for a partner developer for residential
By Anonymous
About time. What a waste that shopping centre is.
By Anonymous
I visited the centre a few months ago to look at the plans. the entrance from Bolton rd. should be redesigned its all at the rear where Tesco are nobody even goes to the centre as its half empty. does Walkden realy need an ice rink.
By ANDREW BERRY
Looks really nice and turning a dripping empty plot into something modern and usable
By Diane Wright
‘sustainable retail space’? While there is a massive Tesco on the site? Get rid of Tesco and allow folk the opportunity to open their own business.
And do something about that awful car park where you drive up to the door, then away from the door, walk back, then do it all in reverse.
By Anthony Mitchell
Absolute rubbish, Walkden town centre was great years ago with the indoor market but is now a ghost town due to the high rentals. The latest to fail is homebase , less than 6 MTHS in business. Reduce the rents so small businesses have a chance !
By Lynn bowden
Been talked about for years so good if this pushes on now and the buckets are gone! Leta hope it’s not done on the cheap.
By Lance J
Be a welcome investment, But what we could really do with something on the lines of Bury market.
By Tony
It could really do with having some kind of food hall/hub – similar to kargo/mackie mayor etc with independent kitchens and bars etc and def a cinema…things that a town centre would actually have so its more of a destination than purely retail? I live in Walkden and we are desperate for something like that!
By Anonymous
Looks drab and dingy.
We vibrant and contextural spaces with depth.
Very flat fronted and will age within a decade.
By Anonymous
Expand the car park on the north side move those businesses into the centre so it is then busy fix the roof easy !! Oh and so you don’t lose all your money like Swinton did keep the car park free
By Phil