13/07/2006 - Panshanger Shopping Centre Development

Welwyn Hatfield Council’s Cabinet is still 100% behind the scheme to redevelop the Moors Walk shopping centre in Panshanger, Welwyn Garden City.

At it’s meeting on Tuesday night it was agreed to recommend to Full Council a capital budget of £5.5million, an increase of £500,000 from the original estimate, over the next two years.

The plan is to build a new three storey development on land adjacent to the existing shopping parade to house restaurants and shops on the ground floor with flats above. It has been agreed in principle that shop owners from the first floor of the existing parade will move to the new shops. The current building will then be upgraded with the first floor converted to flats.

Following the design of a detailed plan and subsequent planning consent, the Council has been undertaking the tendering process to award the construction of the scheme to a contractor. This is still ongoing and a decision is likely to be made at Full Council on 24 July.

Councillor Richard Smith, Cabinet Member for Resources said that the Moors Walk development represents a substantial investment by the Council to improve local shopping facilities and forms part of a phased programme to upgrade the Council’s neighbourhood shopping centres.

“We are completely committed to this scheme. Many of the shopping parades in the borough are run down and have lacked investment over the years. It is important we look to improve them so that we can meet the needs of today’s communities” he said.

It is anticipate that the project will take 16-18 months to complete.