Shropshire Council to speak with cinema firms about 'boutique cinema' plan for Shrewsbury Riverside
Shropshire Council hopes to enter discussions with cinema operators as the masterplan for Shrewsbury’s Riverside redevelopment begins to take shape.
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Demolition of the vacant former Riverside shopping centre got underway this month, and the authority has now completed a consultation on its initial vision for the mixed-use town centre site, set to include a number of new homes, a new multi-agency office building and a range of leisure uses.
The council’s finalised initial plan will go before full council next week, with the authority now set to begin talks with cinema operators on a potential “boutique cinema” which is earmarked for the site.
“The Smithfield Riverside programme continues to proceed at pace and is attracting interest from regional and national developers and investors. The masterplanning process has identified potential development plots that could accommodate various uses, including cinema operators and hotels,” said a report to council from Director of Place Mark Barrow.
“The council’s appointed development manager, Rivington Hark, has been approached by cinema operators who are interested in providing a facility in the Smithfield Riverside Phase One development, as proposed in the masterplan and complementary to existing provision in and around the town centre.
“Subject to the above engagement demonstrating a strong and appropriate need for a cinema within the Smithfield Riverside Phase One development, this approach will directly inform the detailed design of such a facility, currently indicated on the site of the former Pride Hill shopping centre.”
If approved, the council says its discussions could be concluded by the spring, allowing for detailed designs to be drawn up in conjunction with any appointed operator.
The authority also says it is receiving interest from hotel operators in relation to one of the other proposed plots on the site, and plans to undertake further market research about the inclusion of a hotel as part of the development.
However, £1.4million of funding previously allocated to creating designs for a new multi-agency council office building will now be scrapped in favour of progressing with a planning application for the wider Riverside scheme.
Demolition works on the existing shopping centre are set to complete by the end of this year, with a new public park on Roushill set to open in spring 2025.
The report will be submitted for approval at a full meeting of Shropshire Council on Thursday, March 21.
