Plans submitted for Octagon facelift
Published: 25 August, 2010
Strathclyde Pension Fund has revealed a multimillion pound plan to extend the Octagon shopping centre in Burton Upon Trent.
The plans to extend the ground and first floor of the 20-year-old centre, creating new double height glass entrances, and giving brand new shopfronts to units currently used by TK Maxx and Iceland, have been submitted to East Staffordshire Borough Council.
If the application goes through, the existing floorspace will increase by about 25 per cent, from 13,120 sq m to 17,320 sq m, and create a further 18 car parking spaces.
The planning application states that lack of investment has led the Octagon to suffer, with tenants leaving and customers drifting towards other retail complexes.
Peter Hardingham, general manager at the Octagon, said: “Burton Upon Trent has been identified by the government as a growth point town as there is a shortfall of shops in the area so the extension will satisfy that demand. But also modern retailers are looking for bigger units and with the extension we will be able to offer that.
“The extension will undoubtedly draw many, many more shoppers to the centre. We are smack bang in the middle between Birmingham, Leciester and Nottingham and we hope to be able to encourage people from a wider catchment area.”
