Cheltenham Civic Society says it is disappointed with the progress of plans to redevelop the landmark Cavendish House. The oldest department store in the spa town, which has been a fixture on the Promenade since 1823, was home to House of Fraser until it closed its doors in April last year.
A month later, the site reopened with pop-up stalls, while the owners deliberated on redevelopment plans for the town centre landmark. Canada Life Asset Management has been engaged in pre-planning application discussions with Cheltenham Borough Council.
Last year, councillors were informed that a mixed-use scheme, including substantial town centre accommodation, would be the most viable use for the site. However, Cheltenham Civic Society (CCS) has expressed dissatisfaction with the slow progress on the redevelopment of Cavendish House.
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They say that Canada Life assured them in April last year that it was in pre-application talks with the council and expected to engage with the Civic Society in late May or early June 2024 to arrange a briefing as part of their consultation exercise. According to the civic society, Canada Life and the Borough Council have been discussing options for the site's redevelopment for at least four years.
The company maintains that it is committed to bringing forward proposals for Cavendish House and continues "to have productive conversations" with the council.
Civic Society chairman Andrew Booton said: "The slow progress demonstrates the opacity and turgidity of the pre-application process and the owner's lack of commitment to the town.
"So much property in the town centre is controlled by absentee landlords, who only see buildings like CavHouse as a line on a spreadsheet.
"As a consequence, the gap between the public's interest and the owner's profit motive just gets wider."
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Meanwhile, the Borough Council is considering selling the Municipal Offices located further down the Promenade.
Mr Booton said: "We don't think that anyone would welcome the negative impact on the Prom if the two sites were allowed to be vacant at the same time.
"The pop-up shops in CavHouse at least keep the lights on and no doubt contribute to the building's rates bill. Without them, the building would have been boarded up for the last 12 months.
"But the pop-up shops have no guaranteed longevity and could easily be shut down at any time.
"That is why there needs to be a bigger push to get plans submitted for the site's redevelopment – because any building work will take a further two years or more.
"The Prom is the economic and social barometer of Cheltenham. People have a strong emotional connection with the Prom, whether or not they shop there.
"Yet there has been no opportunity in the pre-app discussions for the public to have any say on reshaping one of the most prominent sites on Cheltenham's most prestigious shopping street."
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The Civic Society has advocated for the redevelopment to include a diverse mix that incorporates high-quality architecture, accessible public spaces, and a pedestrian route to Regent Street. Their conceptual proposal was presented last summer and received overwhelming support from the public, boasting an 85.5 percent approval rating and no negative feedback.
Canada Life has reiterated its longstanding commitment to the area.
A spokesperson for Canada Life Asset Management said: "Canada Life is a long-standing and active investor in Cheltenham, as demonstrated by over 20 years of ownership of Regent Arcade Shopping Centre which has seen continual investment to enhance the town centre's retail and leisure offering.
"We remain committed to bringing forward proposals for the Cavendish House site and continue to have productive conversations with parties including Cheltenham Borough Council. We will seek to engage with wider local stakeholders in due course."