Ice arena plans put forward as part of multi-million pound city centre scheme
Plans have been unveiled for a multi-million pound redevelopment of Hull city centre which include an ice skating arena and a shopping arcade.
With work starting on the transformation of former council building Kingston House on Bond Street into 14 luxury apartments, a 100-bed hotel as well a restaurant, gym, bar and rooftop terrace, Hull City Council has now released new images for the development of neighbouring Albion Square.
The 1.7 hectare area earmarked for development includes the former BHS and Co-op building, the Edwin Davis building and the Albion Street car park.
Hull City Council’s development brief for the site proposes “an ambitious, high quality, mixed use development featuring high-quality retail, housing, leisure and enhanced parking facilities set around an enclosed courtyard”.
The site has also been identified as a potential home for a newly-built ice arena while the plans to retain the 1963 Italian glass mosaic Three Ships mural by Alan Boyeson that the council says has “attracted much public support since the closure of BHS”, are included.
Cllr Martin Mancey, portfolio holder for economic investment and regeneration, said: “Following the announcement of key private investment into the full redevelopment of Kingston House, we are delighted to introduce our vision for Albion Square.
“The site is the only one of its size in the primary shopping area of the city centre and could deliver a significant element of the additional retail floor space projected to be needed in the city over the next 15 years.
“These two developments, together with the newly refurbished Hull New Theatre and opening of the UTC, both in September, will breathe a whole new lease of life into this area of the city centre.
“Following the regeneration of the Fruit Market and the public realm improvements, it is time to focus on the core of the City Centre’s retail circuit. The visuals released today show the ambition for this development and provide the platform to securing further private sector investment into this part of the city.”
He added: “However, this investment will be largely dependent on ensuring private sector confidence in the city centre continues and central to this is ensuring that the city centre remains the destination for all significant retail development.
“The Albion Square scheme alone would be worth around £130m to the local economy, providing much-needed jobs for local people, alongside regenerating a area of the city centre that has been neglected for many years. It would also help to further strengthen the retail and leisure offer of the city centre as whole, and in turn attract greater footfall and spend to the city centre.”
A report will go to the council’s cabinet in October to approve proposals for assembling the site and marketing the scheme to potential developer partners.
