Cafe culture at new quarter?

Maidenhead: Vision for different uses of rebuilt centre

A number of national retailers and a ‘restaurant and cafe culture’ will form part of the Nicholsons Centre redevelopment, a public inquiry heard.

The £500million project is being led by Areli and Tikehau Capital and involves plans to tear down the shopping complex and replace it with new retail, offices and more than 650 apartments.

Will Robinson, development director for Areli, said he was confident Maidenhead was the right location for a development of this nature, set to be one of the first ‘shopping centre to town centre’ projects in the UK.

He was speaking at a public inquiry in the town hall on Thursday, held in relation to a compulsory purchase order (CPO) issued by the Royal Borough as it looks to take control of development land.

“Maidenhead has all the strong characteristics that an investor looks for,” Mr Robinson said. “It has got a strong demographic, excellent transport links and the highest office rates outside of the M25.”

The director added that ‘funding is in place’ for the

development ‘subject to confirmation of the CPO’.

Areli has had ‘several conversations’ with residential developers who have expressed an interest in the scheme, called Nicholson Quarter, while they are also ‘in discussion’ with one of the UK's largest build-torent operators.

“This will be crystalised at the point when the CPO is confirmed so they have certainty,” Mr Robinson said.

With regards to the retail offering in Nicholson Quarter, he added the area would utilise a ‘restaurant and cafe culture’, with a number of national retailers planned to take over some of the larger units.

There are also ambitions to incorporate smaller, independent businesses in the scheme.

“We are confident that the scheme caters for the way retail is going,” Mr Robinson told the inquiry.

There is also an ‘undersupply of Grade A office space in the Thames Valley’, he added, claiming this was something Areli is delivering through the redevelopment.

With regards to apartments, Mr Robinson responded to concerns that there was an ‘oversupply’ of flats in Maidenhead.

“We have done our research and we are convinced that there is strong demand for the right products in Maidenhead,” he said.

“We understand sales have been okay, and we have got to look at the scheme that is being created – it is much more than a block of apartments.

“It is the creation of a place within the town centre and in many ways, provides the last piece of the jigsaw.

“You have got that ground-floor retail offer, that mixed-use community of offices to create that vibrancy.

“Post-COVID, people want a little more space within a private apartment and that is something that has been designed in. Our units are a little bit more generous.”

It is unclear whether there will be a nightclub included within the Nicholson Quarter scheme as disputes continue over a suitable space for Smokeys, in Nicholsons Lane (see p5).