Planning consent has formally been issued to Centros Miller for the Cattle Market redevelopment in Bury St Edmunds. The scheme includes a multi-purpose venue, Debenhams department store, shops, apartments, a 650-space surface car park and 200+ space underground car park and a new public square. Consent has also been issued for the new five-metre wide Market Thoroughfare link, which includes a new building with shops and apartments.
Cllr Terry Clements, Cabinet member for Planning and Transport, said:
"We wanted to make absolutely certain that everything which could be done had been done to make this a superb development for Bury St Edmunds, making the town even more vibrant and attractive. The Development Control Committee set out a long list of conditions to ensure the level of high quality which we have always wanted for this exciting project and over the past months we have worked closely with Centros Miller to make these achievable. Issuing the formal permission for the new link is also a key step towards ensuring that part of the development happens - a commitment made by both St Edmundsbury and Centros Miller."
St Edmundsbury's Development Control Committee granted planning permission in February 2005 and work has been going on since then to finalise the details. This included work on the legal agreement covering issues such as funding for extra buses, affordable housing and Variable Message Signing.
The formal handover is another landmark in a process which started in 2001 with the first round of public consultation. That led to the development of the masterplan for the site, which then went out to consultation again. Changes were made following the public response and the planning application submitted to St Edmundsbury, as the local planning authority, in May 2004. Extensive consultation was again carried out during that year, with more changes being made as a result.
Construction work is scheduled to start on site in autumn 2006, with completion autumn 2008.
ENDS
Picture caption: With the site for the Cattle Market redevelopment in the background, St Edmundsbury's Cabinet member for Transport and Planning, Cllr Terry Clements, (left) and Head of Planning and Engineering Patsy Dell hand the formal planning consent to Guy Graham, Project Manager for Centros Miller.
ISSUED BY MARIANNE HULLAND, COMMUNICATIONS UNIT, ST EDMUNDSBURY BOROUGH COUNCIL. Tel 01284 757034. marianne.hulland@stedsbc.gov.uk
