The Tin Hat Regeneration Partnership appointed for Hinckley bus station transformation
The Tin Hat Regeneration Partnership which includes Wilson Bowden Developments, Ashcroft Estates and Centenary Asset Management has been selected to deliver the £75 million pound redevelopment of Hinckley bus station.
Following a European wide competition and consultation Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council selected the development proposals put forward by the Tin Hat Regeneration Partnership.
The selected development scheme includes proposals to create a high quality, mixed leisure and retail development on the existing bus station with a major food store, complementary retail units, hotel, restaurants, coffee shops, a multi storey car park, family oriented leisure facilities such as a 5 screen multiplex cinema, a bowling alley and a new state of the art bus station.
The carefully thought out design concept for the scheme, which is the work of appointed architects; Engles was a clear winner with members of the public in Hinckley.
Chris Wieszczycki, director at architect Engle said;
“In the most successful urban places, a multitude of complementary uses share the same public space. Our concept aims to achieve this by placing a cinema, leisure, residential and a hotel above shops, bars, cafés and restaurants, and lining them all along a semi-circular crescent. This vibrant meeting place where people come for different purposes will become a new focus of urban life, full of interest and excitement during the day and into the evening.
Bill Cullen, Deputy Chief Executive of the Borough Council said;
“The regeneration of the existing bus station site in Hinckley with a sustainable mixed use retail and leisure focussed scheme is vitally important to the future of Hinckley Town Centre. We are delighted to be able to announce the selection of The Tin Hat Regeneration Partnership, whose concept scheme proposals not only won unanimous Council support but also the support of our residents. We are confident the proposals will deliver the Council’s ambition of strengthening Hinckley’s existing retail and leisure offer, improve transport facilities with a state of the art new bus station facility and secure the highest quality design with landmark buildings to complement and enhance the attractiveness of the town centre. This will allow us to compete effectively with nearby town centres, such as Nuneaton, Tamworth, Leicester and Coventry that currently draw shoppers away from the town centre”.
Anthony Baker, Director for Ashcroft Estates PLC said;
“As a partner in the Tin Hat Regeneration Partnership, we are delighted to have been selected to play an important part in the regeneration of the bus station as part of the wider town centre. We have a major opportunity to achieve a transformational change for the town, a change that will enhance the retail and leisure offer within Hinckley and enable it to compete with surrounding towns”.
Will Robinson, Development Director at Wilson Bowden Developments said;
“Working closely with our architects Engle, we have designed our scheme to provide a seamless integration in to the heart of Hinckley Town Centre, providing strong pedestrian links and high quality public areas. We are confident that our proposed scheme presents the right mix of retail and leisure facilities to ensure Hinckley can compete with surrounding towns and will support a healthy day and night time economy for the town”.
The proposals will now be developed into a detailed plan and a planning application is likely to be submitted in 2009 following a period of full consultation. The plans for the development will be showcased in public during this process. The scheme is programmed to be delivered and open for business by Autumn 2012.