Regeneration Projects
Completed Projects
Castle Quay, Bedford
Castle Quay was officially opened in 2009 and
has provided a valuable extension to the Town Centre. This
development provides a new location for modern town centre living
with its 108 residential apartments, 3 restaurants and 8 specialist
retail units adding further variety to Bedford’s shopping and
dining offer. Castle Quay also embraces the rich heritage of this
area of the town, showcasing an open air archaeology park ‘Castle
Bailey Gardens’, and the ‘Lime Kiln Vault’ (a scheduled ancient
monument), providing a fitting gateway to the ‘Cultural Quarter’
and ‘The Higgins’ (art gallery and museum) – see ‘Work in Progress’
below.
St Cuthbert’s Church, Bedford
This scheme to improve the environs of St
Cuthbert’s Church was completed in 2010 and included reinstating
and improving its hard and soft landscaping and the restoration of
the walls and footpaths around the perimeter of the
church.
Bedford’s Church Square
Bedford’s Church Square improvement scheme,
completed in 2008, has upgraded a significant focal point of the
town centre. A new water fountain has created a sense of
tranquility whilst selected motifs depicting Bedford’s past have
been placed amongst the natural stone paving and record the story
of the Square’s history since the 19th Century. Along with
new seating, tree planting and feature lighting, which illuminates
the buildings around the square at night, the improvements create a
pleasant and relaxing environment.
Work in Progress
The Higgins, Bedford
The Higgins (Art Gallery and Museum) is
nearing completion of a multi-million pound remodelling and
refurbishment. From a 2010 start, the completion of construction
work has been marked by a ‘Topping Out’ celebration in July 2012
(see photo) with fitting out now underway for a 2013 opening.
Church Lane,
Bedford, Regeneration
The largest community based regeneration
project in the Borough at present is the Church Lane Regeneration
scheme on the eastern side of Bedford. Coplan Estates has completed
work on Phase One, which included the construction of a new Aldi
17,000 sq ft food store and park. The store was officially opened
in July 2010. Next phases of the project are now moving forward
including a new medical centre. Further retail units and a new
community centre (or a major renewal of the existing centre) are
also planned.
Riverside North, Bedford
Coplan Estates, selected as the Council’s
development partner for this project, has been working on this
evolving multi-million pound scheme with, amongst others, its
architect and master planner, PRP, and a range of potential
occupiers of commercial and leisure property within the scheme. A
planning application is expected around the end of 2012 with a
potential development start in 2013 (see http://www.bedfordriversidenorth.co.uk/).
Bedford Bus Station
Area Regeneration
The Bedford Bus Station area is a top priority
for regeneration with an emerging project focused on the bus
station and its surrounds including the adjoining multi-storey car
park, the retail and other properties around the bus station and
the area of the former Gwyn and Patteshull Courts (flats). Various
elements of preparatory work are underway.
Bedford Station Quarter
South
With deferral in 2010 of the planned construction of a new
Bedford railway station, major development of the area south of the
station is on hold until new station proposals emerge and
development of the site becomes financially feasible. Other
work, however, has continued, with platform extensions and improved
cycle parking at the existing station and the redevelopment of the
former Focus DIY Store south of the station to create the well used
Ashburnham Road Car Park and further cycle parking and also to
include electric vehicle charging points and renovated
landscaping.
Bedford High Street
A multi-million pound scheme of structural
repairs, restoration of traditional shopfronts, reinstatement of
lost architectural details and bringing upper floors back into
productive use is underway (see www.bedford.gov.uk/BedfordHighStreet).