Flats plan for Hansom Court shopping arcade
A STRUGGLING shopping centre in Hinckley could be the latest location to be transformed into new flats.
The owner of Hansom Court, off The Borough, wants to redevelop the site.
Just two businesses, Tanmania and Tinx Hair Salon are paying rent, leaving the rest of the units either empty or the occupiers operating ‘under licence’ and merely covering service charge contributions.
Lack of interest and inability to attract retailers on genuine commercial terms, despite extensive marketing, has led to the proposal which would see the internal courtyard transformed into nine flats and five duplexes, with cycle store and 12-space first floor car park.
Existing shops fronting both Stockwell Head and The Borough are retained in the scheme although the empty former McDonald’s restaurant at number 17 looks likely to be reduced from its huge 4,733 sq ft floorspace.
McDonald’s closed in 2007 on expiry of the lease and the unit has not been used since. Rent in excess of £8,000 a year has proved a major stumbling block and David Grove, senior surveyor at the site’s agent, Lambert Smith Hampton, has labelled the unit “a monolith in a market town such as Hinckley”.
In a letter outlining the difficult trading conditions experienced at Hansom Court over the last decade he said the pedestrianisation of Regent Street and The Borough in 2006 had been the first death knell, removing parking and accessibility.
The situation was then exacerbated by the economic downturn with retailers going into administration, vacating prior to the lease expiring and in one instance being forced into bankruptcy.
More recently he said with footfall moving towards The Crescent the commercial reality was that Hansom Court was “effectively redundant”.
He added: “There without alternative development being considered the court will only continue to further decline and will ultimately have a detrimental effect upon the town itself.”
The application has been submitted to Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council and is expected to be determined at a future planning committee meeting.
If approved the “self-contained residential conversion” will feature nine selfcontained flats (seven one-bed and two two-bed) at ground level and five onebed duplexes split over the ground and first floor with access from the first floor.
Developers said removal of the courtyard canopy would allow natural daylight to flood in, landscaping with planters to prevent over-looking and frontages clad in white render and cedar cladding will combine to provide an attractive, clean, crisp and modern environment.
The two units on Stockwell Head and also fronting The Borough will be retained for retail.