A strategic development and management company has given a vote of confidence in the future of Colchester by unveiling plans for a multi-million pound retail and leisure space at Stanway.
Tollgate Partnership Limited (TPL) has already delivered more than one million square feet of commercial development in Essex and Suffolk, including The Tollgate Centre, Tollgate Retail Park and Tollgate Business Park in Stanway. Its latest development, Tollgate Village, will be a thriving gateway hub for Colchester and a place where people can work, shop, meet and relax.
The family-run company is based in Colchester and wants to develop shops, restaurants and leisure uses on 20 acres of land it owns which include the former Sainsbury’s site and land opposite Curry’s/PC World. The plans were unveiled to hundreds of people including councillors, business leaders and residents at a two-day public exhibition.
The Directors of TPL say Tollgate Village will deliver major economic benefits to Colchester, which is one of the fastest growing districts in the UK and needs additional facilities for its ever-increasing population. Colchester Borough Council has already identified Stanway as a Growth Area and also recognised a need for additional retail floor space over and above its town centre requirements.
An outline planning application is being submitted and, if it is successful, it is hoped work could start in 2016. Tollgate Village will have a significant economic impact on Colchester, creating more than 1,000 jobs; bringing an estimated £13.7m to the local economy and helping to keep retail spend within the Borough.