Shifting from one town centre paradigm to the next
Lichfield Friarsgate
This town centre strategy for Development Securities working with Lichfield District Council seeks to create a natural extension to Lichfield town centre, connecting the council offices, town centre and Three Spires Shopping Centre to encourage shoppers to spend more time in the historic town.
Group Ginger’s approach eschews the cookie cutter large-retail-store-as-anchor approach to town centre redevelopment and seeks to radically improve the streets and space through sensitive mixed-use development. The strategy celebrates Lichfield's unique identity, outlines site-specific proposals to improve its streets and spaces while also extending investment and benefits of urban change to the wider area.
Group Ginger’s vision reimagines Lichfield’s retail offer, recognising that contemporary high street retailing is a recreational activity as well as a practical exercise. The town centre development focuses on the leisure experience associated with shopping, with the public realm linking the environments forming part of this pleasurable experience.
Group Ginger’s vision reimagines Lichfield’s retail offer, recognising that contemporary high street retailing is a recreational activity as well as a practical exercise. The town centre development focuses on the leisure experience associated with shopping, with the public realm linking the environments forming part of this pleasurable experience.
The masterplan strategy is designed to be delivered incrementally over time, a nuanced approach that introduces new development in a sensitive way that has the support of retailers and the community.
The masterplan includes a multi-screen cinema, a new gym, up to ten new restaurants, around 25 shops, 82 apartments, 11 townhouses and a new landscaped public area. The scheme also features a new bus station for the city near to the railway station and 500 car parking spaces – making the development an important new hub right in the centre of the historic city. The aim is that the mix of shops, restaurants and homes will increase retail activity, footfall and dwell time in the city centre. This will help retain existing shoppers and also attract new visitors, which will benefit the existing retail units, on Bakers Lane along with the wider retail and leisure offer in Lichfield.
Group Ginger have also undertaken detailed design of 81 apartments and 11 townhouses a part of the mixed use development.
Details
Clients
Cathedral Group and Development Securities; U+I
Status
Tender 2016
