Walkden town centre set for £15m makeover

Plans for a £15m revamp scheme for Walkden town centre have been submitted by the Derwent Group, on behalf of the Albert Gubay Charitable Foundation.

It will see the demolition of approximately 180,000 sq ft of the current retail space within Egerton Walk and Victoria Square, which are outdated and no longer meet retailer expectations. An attractive new façade and entrance will be created to the centre, housing 7,500 sq ft of new, modern retail units and landscaped green public realm areas to the front.

Relocation of existing tenants will be implemented ahead of the demolition as part of a wider redevelopment programme of the newer section of the centre, that will see 80,000 sq ft of existing space refurbished.

Walkden Town Centre has been under the ownership of The Albert Gubay Charitable Foundation for more than 30 years during which time it has invested more than £66m in both the centre and Walkden Retail Park. This latest wave of investment will significantly enhance the existing offering of the town centre providing a more sustainable and efficient retail configuration in a more modern and attractive environment.

Scott Hall, of The Derwent Group, said: “The feedback from our recent public consultation was both positive and constructive and clearly demonstrated how important Walkden town centre is to the local community.

“By creating an appealing and sustainable retail environment, we will be able to offer a more efficient and economical operational solution for the centre’s retailers, helping to attract new names which will, ultimately, have a significant positive impact on the area. We are already exploring options with a variety of exciting new potential operators who are looking to move into the centre.”

Subject to planning being granted, The Derwent Group will look to appoint a contractor in the coming months with a view to starting works immediately with the new frontage being completed by the end of 2025.

Derwent has appointed RGP as architects for the scheme, Savills as planning consultants and Artal as project managers. Barker Proud Love and Graham Sibbald are the retained letting agents.