BBC - Devon Features - go ahead given for Drake Circus redevelopment plans

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26 December 2009
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Go ahead for new city centre plans

An artist's impression of the new development

The long-awaited redevelopment of one of Plymouth's main shopping areas has been given the go ahead.

The £170m revamp of Drake Circus has been eagerly anticipated for over ten years.

SEE ALSO

New centre taking shape

Drake Circus artist's impressions

Drake Circus your comments

ARCHIVE FILM

The previous Drake Circus redevelopment wasn't without controversy. Looks at some archive film clips from 1966/67.
	1966 (G2)
	1966 (Broadband)

	1967 (G2)
	1967 (broadband)

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Plymouth City Council

Plymouth 20-20 Partnership

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FACTS

The scheme proposes a modern fully covered city centre development with shops, cafes, restaurants and multi storey car park with spaces for 1270 cars

The existing centre was designed in the 1970's around a supermarket and six-storey office building.

Drake Circus will provide up to 1000 jobs during the construction phase and up to 2000 full and part time positions when complete.

The work should be complete in 2006.

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The developers behind a multi-million pound shopping redevelopment in Plymouth city centre have welcomed news that the scheme has been approved.

The revamp of Drake Circus, which was supposed to have been started in the late 1980s, will give the city a large covered shopping mall linking to its retail centre for the first time.

The planned complex will cover over 60,000 sq metres and cost £170m.

Plymouth City Council has now agreed the design and appearance of the complex, leaving just a few outstanding matters to be resolved.

photo gallery

The group behind the plans, P&O Developments, describes it as the biggest retail development in the South West since Plymouth was rebuilt after the war.

"Plymouth is now the UK's largest provincial city without a modern shopping centre, a vital ingredient in every dynamic and successful town and city in Britain," said Gary Brooks, from P&O Developments.

The view from Charles Cross

"Can the city afford to wait any longer for these sorely-needed facilities and the run the longer term risk of being eclipsed as the pre-eminent regional centre for the South West."

P&O will now commence negotiating the outstanding Compulsory Purchase Order matters, due to be the subject of a decision by the Government Office for the South West later this year.

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It is hoped work will start to replace the existing 1970s shopping centre and car park on the site early next year.

The aim is that the development will be open for business in late 2006.

When complete the centre will feature more than 45 shops, cafes and restaurants aimed at high quality regional, national and international fashion, sports, leisure and lifestyle retailers.