Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Developers push for new year decision on £25m project
Council could give green light to bold proposal ahead of store’s closure
An ambitious scheme to redevelop the Debenhams site in Canterbury city centre could be signed off and ready to go before the store even shuts, the Gazette can reveal.
The developers and architects behind the £25 million project are pushing the city council for a swift decision, which could come as early as the planning committee meeting on January 8 - just 16 days before the shop shuts.
Karl Elliott, a partner with Clague Architects, which drew up the scheme for a mix of retail and residential, says the council is armed with all the information it needs to decide the application.
“The response to the proposals has been overwhelmingly positive and we are pressing for the application to come to the committee as early as possible so we can crack on with it,” he said. The scheme, called the Guildhall Quarter, is a conversion of the existing buildings into 12 new retail units at ground-floor level with 72 flats and a rooftop extension above.
The number of homes has been reduced by two following discussions with planning officers about the impact of the top-floor properties on the heritage setting and views of the Cathedral from the Westgate Towers. Debenhams is due to close on January 24, after which the company is expected to take a couple of weeks to clear out and vacate the building.
“The first thing we will do is ensure it is boarded up and secure,” said Mr Elliott. “Realistically, it will have to be a phased redevelopment because it’s a complex site. “We will probably start first on the Debenhams home furnishing building in Guildhall Street, simply because it’s easier. Mr Elliott says flats would be created above the former Costwolds Outdoors store, which is part of the site, and a new tenant found for the retail unit. He predicts the whole scheme may not be completed until early 2021, by which time work on the Nasons site is expected to be well underway if that proposal is approved by the city council.
“It’s a very exciting prospect for the city, but we need to get on with it as soon as possible for the sake of the high street,” he said.
A Debenhams spokesman said: “We regret that we won’t be able to keep the Canterbury store open beyond January next year. It is part of the previously announced store closure programme and is in no way reflective of the very hard work and excellent service of our store colleagues. “Unfortunately this is a necessary element of the turnaround plan to give Debenhams as a whole a sustainable future. In the meantime we hope our customers will take the opportunity to give this store a good send-off.” n What do you think? Email kentishgazette@thekmgroup. co.uk.
‘We are pressing for the application to come to the committee as early as possible so we can crack on with it’