A YEAR FOR THE HISTORY BOOKS
THE £1.9 million redevelopment of Market Walk, aimed at drawing the popular shopping precinct away from the 1960s and into the 21st century, began in March. Town development manager Sally Henley said: ‘Much of the fundamental structure of Market Walk will remain untouched and the emphasis with the plan is on make-over, rather than rebuilding, so the potential disruption to the current tenants and to the rest of the town will be minimal,’ she said. The work, by Classic Builders, involves removal of the old canopy on the entrance corridor from Courtenay Street and replacing it with a glass roof, re-cladding shopfronts, removing market square kiosks regarded as a barrier to the market hall, and adding new seating; main stalls will also return to the square.
The waterlogged former Seymour Horwell site opposite CarpetRight at the junction of Wolborough Street and Wolborough Way, vacant for nearly two decades, is to be developed by Coyne Group into 38 retirement apartments with communal facilities. There will be shop units on the ground floor, the commercial space being marketed by agents Charles Darrow, seeking interest from national licensed leisure and retail chains, as one unit or sub-divided.
But the project by Teignbridge Council, which has bought the Seventies-built complex for £13 million, is just one of a string of exciting commercial and social changes currently taking place in the town, including the £2 million town council community/heritage project Newton’s Place at the former St Leonard’s Church (see feature page 14).
Budget supermarket Aldi is aiming to open a 1,140 sq m food store in Brunel Road this autumn, the derelict former Queens Hotel is being revitalised through a £900,000 project by Killian Construction to create 21 apartments, and a state-of- the-art new lounge for horse owners and trainers is proposed for Newton Abbot Racecourse. New business hitting the high street include bakers Greggs in Market Walk and a branch of cafe/bar/restaurant chain Loungers Ltd is planned for the former Tony Pryce sports shop in Queen Street.
The town has already benefited from the refurbishment of the historic town quay and Victoria Gardens, the creation of a ‘pocket garden’ and relaxation area in Golden Lion Square and the ‘greening’ of pavements near Lloyds Bank with olive trees (see page 51). And the town centre is also being protected by extended CCTV monitoring courtesy of NAST (Newton Abbot Security Trust). Mrs Henley said 2018 was ‘likely to prove one for the history books with work commencing on three centrally-located development sites. Within 18 months, where once there were weeds and hoardings, we will see residential flats, a purpose- built budget supermarket and a retail and retirement flats complex. Once these gaps are filled and the first stage of the regeneration work on Market Walk shopping centre are complete too, the final piece of the jigsaw will come in the form of the proposed new museum and community space.’
Pictured: the proposed Market Walk development art from LHC Urban Design Ltd.
NEWTON ABBOT TOWN C0UNCIL 3
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