Touchwood expansion plan is axed
AN ambitious shopping centre expansion which has been in limbo since its approval in 2015 will never happen, a retail boss has confirmed.
Touchwood II was planned for Solihull town centre with the launch of 30 new shops and restaurants and the creation of 400 jobs, but a spade never broke ground and planning consent has now expired.
The expansion would have involved making alterations and in some cases demolishing existing buildings in the High Street.
Manager Tony Elvin explained that with planning permission for Touchwood II having expired, it was definitely off the cards.
He said: “Planning permission expired and we didn’t have a spade in the ground, so it was not possible. But the key stuff that we promised with Touchwood II, the council will be doing with the Eastgate and Westgate development. I think it’s just as well we didn’t go ahead in hindsight.”
When Touchwood II was announced public interest was inevitably high and months before the formal planning application was submitted more than 800 people had attended an exhibition. Touchwood shopping centre opened in 2001, and received the royal seal of approval in 2002 when the Queen arrived to cut the ribbon.
There are now more than 80 stores in the complex, including John Lewis, and the centre has seen several new openings in the last month, including Spanish retailer Mango and independents such as Aldo Zilli’s Emporio Artari and Cacao Coffee & Chocolate Co.
In 2021, US retail giant Ardent Companies bought Touchwood from Lendlease Retail Partnership.
Mr Elvin said that investment, as well as a strategy to create a popular food quarter, has seen Touchwood become a popular foodie destination.
“Our footfall is very close to pre-pandemic levels. In January 2023 our sales were higher than they were in January 2019,” he said.
He claimed the average vacancy rate for shopping centres is 20% but in Touchwood it is just 5%.