New shopping mall planned for Stroud (From Stroud News and Journal)

New shopping mall planned for Stroud

A MULTI million pound new shopping mall is set to open on the site of Stroud's Cotswold Indoor Bowls Club in spring 2006.

Norwich based developers Steeple Court has bought the site from the club for more than £800,000 and plan to spend "several millions, more than one or two" according to managing director Andy Howard, turning it into the three-floor 25,000 sq ft Stroud Brewery Retail Centre.

Interest in the site, he told the SNJ, has been so great that the floors may be further split to accommodate other retailers, though he would not yet specify which ones.

It is all good news for the town, he believes: "The reason Stroud came up on our radar is because it has suffered in the past with other local economies. You've just got to look at Gloucester, Cirencester and Cheltenham, especially Cheltenham.

"Stroud has been crying out for something that will help it fight back against its competition.

"You are looking to other towns simply because Stroud is not able to give them what they want and this is something I think we're really going to address.

"It's going to be enormously exciting, especially from the retail point of view and that is going to increase house prices and be very good for the local economy."

The company is confident of winning planning permission later this year with work on the development set to begin early next year and scheduled for completion in Spring 2006.

"We've been really encouraged by the local authority to do something on the site," said Mr Howard. "There's been a lot of principles agreed and it's now really down to the final part of the design."

The building will be along "traditional lines", "reflecting the historical and architectural heritage of Stroud" using local materials, "a very mellow red brick" and "white local stone".

The company, responsible for developments up and down the country, is to liase with cinema developers Manchester-based Streetlands in a bid to bring the development along with the neighbouring scheme.

Cllr Nigel Studdert-Kennedy, cabinet member for regeneration and tourism, welcomed the news.

He said: "If you look at the state of Stroud three years ago there's tremendous change and I think it's probably for the benefit of one and all. Stroud is on the up, it's looking positive and we want the benefits to spread out to benefit the whole district."

Meanwhile Cotswold Indoor Bowls Club, on the Merrywalks site for nearly 40 years is looking ahead to moving its 450-plus members into a state-of-the-art new £1.5 million facility at Cope Chat playing field in Dudbridge, featuring six indoor and six outdoor rinks, by September 2005.