MAJOR REGENERATION MILESTONE REACHED AT THE VILLAGE AT WATERDALE SHOPPING CENTRE

The regeneration of The Village at Waterdale has reached a major milestone, with the foundations of the 23,500 sq ft redevelopment now laid and construction of the main building underway.

St. Modwen, which owns and manages The Village at Waterdale, will be delivering new and improved retail and leisure facilities to the area as part of its ongoing investment in the town. The plans include a two storey building, incorporating 11,600 sq ft of ground floor retail space and a further 11,900 sq ft of space on the first floor, planned for a variety of uses, including office, leisure and restaurants.

Work is expected to be completed in early 2017. Other improvement works will also take place on existing buildings close to the former Young Street car park to improve the retail experience for shoppers and residents.

Paul Brustad, Asset Manager at St. Modwen, said: “Work is progressing well on-site and visitors to The Village at Waterdale will notice a significant level of activity in the coming months around the centre as construction of the new building develops. We’re really excited to bring forward our plans for a revitalised Waterdale and deliver a more modern and attractive retail and leisure environment to the area.”

St. Modwen has also agreed new leases with existing and new retailers at The Village at Waterdale. Vault 14, which has enjoyed a successful first six months of trading there, has signed a new three year lease. The retailer, which sells American comics, trading cards and gaming memorabilia, originally started out at 30 Kingsgate but has now moved into a larger unit at 6 Kingsgate to meet the rising demand from local shoppers for its unique offering. The new store now includes a wider range of merchandise and a dedicated gaming space to accommodate the popularity of its numerous gaming events.

Shaun Ward, Owner of Vault 14, said: “Since moving to The Village at Waterdale earlier this year, business has gone from strength to strength. Due to strong customer demand, there was a need to expand our offer which meant moving into larger premises. We were keen to stay at The Village at Waterdale, due to its excellent location and ongoing redevelopment works, so we were thrilled that St. Modwen was able to offer the flexibility to accommodate our needs and provide a larger unit at the centre to support our growth.”

St. Modwen has also just secured a 2 year lease with The Citizens Advice Bureau, which will open in October at 5 Queensgate at The Village at Waterdale.