Leisure
Office/Commercial
Residential
Retail
Urban Regeneration
Shrewsbury Smithfield Riverside
Shropshire Council, as site owners, will be bringing forward a high-quality, design-led riverside development site in the very heart of Shrewsbury town centre, Shropshire’s county town in the loop of the River Severn.
The former Riverside and Pride Hill shopping centres, associated multi-storey car park, bus station and surrounding area provides a 4-hectare regeneration opportunity with an enviable waterfront setting.
A recent government-funded Levelling Up investment will expedite advanced demolition and site remediation, resulting in the first commercial development plots being available from late 2025.
A detailed delivery strategy will identify mechanisms to bring the programme forward at pace, including options for partnerships and joint ventures.
The development programme provides a significant opportunity to bring forward the aspirations of the Big Town Plan. Specifically to create a vibrant and vital new mixed-use quarter alongside the town’s first Grade A office space, built to zero-carbon targets 2030.
The newly-refreshed masterplan outlines a vision for a new neighbourhood delivered through a mixed-use development to include office, residential, hotel, retail and leisure uses, with high-quality architecture and public realm that includes a new Linear Park for the town and all in a vibrant riverside setting.
It will transform the lower town into a unique 21st-century quayside with modern homes, quality office space, state-of-the-art leisure and bespoke retail creating a dynamic, modern and sustainable destination.
This comprehensive development is being informed by recently appointed Development Managers, Rivington Hark, and masterplan architects, FaulknerBrowns Architects, the Masterplan Vision, Design Coding and the Smithfield Riverside Strategic Development Framework. Phase One, supported by Levelling Up Funding, brings forward a development prospectus for the delivery of a commercial office for the Council and partners, a new linear park and the leisure-led redevelopment of the former Pride Hill shopping centre site.
Key facts
- 4-hectare brownfield regeneration site in the heart of Shrewsbury town centre
- River-edge development site, in Shropshire’s county town in the loop of the River Severn
- Significant opportunity to bring forward the aspirations of the Big Town Plan
- A detailed delivery strategy will identify mechanisms to bring the programme forward at pace, including options for partnerships and joint ventures
- The first phase of the development, for which planning approval was granted in March 2024, involves demolition of the redundant Riverside shopping centre and surrounds and construction of the Linear Park within the site
- Starting July 2024 and completion programmed for September 2025
Opportunity location
Why invest In Shropshire?
Exciting investment opportunities exist in Shropshire, a well-positioned location right in the geographical centre of the UK, within easy reach of the markets of the West Midlands, the north, Mid Wales and into Ireland.
The ability to tailor requirements to suit sector and business needs, both now and in the future, has created what can be best described as a mosaic approach to development. One size definitely does not fit all in Shropshire; it’s far too independent-thinking for that – this is the birthplace of Charles Darwin after all!
What works in the county town or one market town is not necessarily mimicked in the next, resulting in key employment areas of Shrewsbury (the county town), Oswestry, Whitchurch, Market Drayton, Bridgnorth, Shifnal and Ludlow providing a truly interesting and varied place to live, work and invest. This approach is boosting an already established high quality independent retail, pub, restaurant and leisure offer that provides unique experiences often found in city-living locations.
An increase in the hospitality, tourism and leisure market, alongside growth in creative and knowledge sectors is evidence of a growing number of business owners, creatives and entrepreneurs attracted to town and more rural living. Many no longer feel the need to be city-based making our towns beacons for those wanting a high quality of life for them, their families and their businesses.
Insight for investors
- Type of investment sought: Future delivery and investment
- Value and cost info: £350m + GDV
- Site size: 4 hectares (10 acres)
- Jobs: 775 new jobs
- Timescale: 2022-2033
- Delivery timescale: 5+ years
- Planning status:
- Riverside shopping centre demolition and creation of Roushill Park (23/05402/FUL) granted in March 2024
- Submission of outline planning application for development sites in spring 2024
- Submission of full planning permission for Pride Hill Leisure development due in summer 2024