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Proposals for new developments in Braintree, Witham and Halstead await agreement.

The Braintree scheme involves a large site and potentially, a single new development.  Because of its size and value, the development opportunity has been advertised as required by legislation in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU).

In Halstead, the central site area is owned by eight different landowners, who have agreed to put the whole site onto the market to see if there is commercial interest to develop it in line with a development brief for the area.

In Witham the situation is different again.  The Newlands Shopping Centre is being marketed with the aim of finding a developer who would be interested to modernise the Centre and enter a partnership with the Council with regard to public car parking.  It is likely that a viable scheme would involve significant remodelling of the centre and the car parking areas, regardless of where the current property boundaries lie: hence the partnership. 

Market conditions are very difficult, and while many developers are using this time to plan for new schemes, the economic situation has held back the ability to reach agreement. 

Proposals for Braintree are due to be published in January 2011.

Updated - 17 December 2010
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Manor Street car park and bus terminal in Braintree

A new commercial office area, rising to a similar height as the old Town Hall, with a courtyard and an open view plaza will link the bus interchange with Market Place.  Bringing several hundred office staff into the town centre, from different organisations, will achieve a significant boost to the retail economy and liveliness of the town.

More bus stops are planned, yet will take less space than at present.  There will be at least as much parking on site as now and a new community centre will be built.  There will be some high standard private and shared ownership housing.

Newlands Shopping Centre in Witham

The development brief for the Newlands Shopping Centre and car park has been prepared in close consultation with the centre owners.  A phased approach to increasing the size of the shops, partially covering the ‘mall’ and radically improving the appearance, quality and design of the whole centre and car park will attract more shops and make it better for customers.  Everyone agrees that the market is an important attraction for the town and if the car park is renewed, with better layout, attractive planting and a clear view right through to Newland Street, shoppers will begin to see the Centre as a new and welcoming gateway to Witham.  Parking and how it is managed is central to the success of the improvements.

Right in the middle of Halstead: land east of the High Street

Eight different owners have agreed together to seek redevelopment of this area of private land, between High Street, St Andrews Road and Factory Lane East.