Multi-million pound plan to revamp Eccles town centre

Exclusive: Neal Keeling

August 26, 2009

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On the up Eccles Town Centre

MULTI-million pound plans for a revamped Eccles has been revealed.

In April the M.E.N reported that rival bids to revitalise the town were being made after years of decline.

The London-based owners of the precinct, Threadneedle Properties, want to redesign the town centre. But development company PBN Holdings, owners of West One - a retail park on the site of the former Ladywell Hospital - have plans to build a giant Tesco store there.

Next week, Threadneedle will submit its plans to Salford council.

They include a new supermarket in the heart of the town on land off Albert Street.

There is speculation that the tenant could be Asda or Sainsbury's.

Robert Ramsey, asset manger at Threadneedle, said: "There is now interest from major food retailers to invest in Eccles and we firmly believe that opening a new supermarket in the heart of Eccles town centre, instead of West One as proposed by Tesco, will provide major regeneration benefits for the town-centre traders.

Killer blow

"If Tesco's planning application at West One is approved, it could be a killer blow to the future of Eccles town centre. A new superstore at West One is too far from the town centre to realistically think shoppers will then pop into town as part of their trip to Tesco."

The town's 1960s shopping centre has been starved of investment and many shops are vacant.

There will be improvements to the multi-storey car park and the mall under the plans.

As revealed in the M.E.N., the Tesco store at West One would create 400 jobs and that plan is due to be considered by the council soon.

West One cost £53m and opened in 2001. But many of the 17 units are now empty.

Its owners hope Tesco will spearhead a revival of the retail park and boost Eccles' economy generally.

The new store would be 300 yards from a Morrisons in the town centre.

PBN also plan to build a footbridge over Gilda Brook Road linking the Tesco store to a relocated Eccles market. The total investment by PBN would be £30m.

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life is loud, swinton (26/08/2009 at 17:15)

No No No people of Eccles protest we dont want any more supermarkets taking over, what is needed is individual shops, you cannot let global capitalism take over, these supermarkets are killing off any enterprise, we need to have decent markets with choice like there are in Europe, people will have to learn to cook from fresh again without having to resort to frozen ready meals.

Pete in Salford, Salford (26/08/2009 at 18:45)

Hmmm, funny how there was no mention of Threadneedle's plans until Tesco came along... spoiler tactic or what? And how does building a big supermarket improve (revamp) Eccles centre? Surely it would mean demolishing all the small important shops and replacing them with yet another big supermarket? And the roads round there would be a nightmare!!!!! This is a worse plan than the Tesco on West-One. At least Tesco is replacing a white-elephant of a retail park and is on the dual carriage way...

I'm not the biggest fan of either the current state of Eccles or West-One, but by knocking it all down (how else will they fit a supermarket there?) and closing the smaller shops and banks (I use them regularly) will of no benefit except to Threadneedles pockets!

Pete in Salford, Salford (26/08/2009 at 19:04)

And another thing, starved of investment it may have been (Threadneedle, thats your fault) but having many empty units? A few round the edges maybe but actually has quite a high occupancy rate given the current economic situation! Let me think, it has (in order of personal importance to me) a Greggs, Wilkinsons, Boots, Home Bargains, Superdrugs, Birthdays, Abbey, Peacocks, Coral, Farmfoods, Lloyds TSB, not to mention a newsagents, a few cafes and independent clothes shops. It doesn't even have that many charity shops compared to many high streets. It needs a facelift, a refurb, a nice safe FREE car park. It doesn't need and I dont want it all knocking down and replacing with an Asda or a Sainsbury's... can you imagine the extra cars on Albert St, Peel St or Vicarage Grove/St Marys Rd (the small roads that lead to Eccles Station).

say it as it is, Eccles (31/08/2009 at 17:25)

Eccles is doomed. No matter what shops or supermarkets are built in Eccles it's too late. The amount of out of work layabouts that congregate in Eccles makes it a horrible disgusting place to shop. I have lived in Eccles all my life and it just deteriorates day by day. From the roundabout at peel green all the way along to Eccles precint there is just disgusting ruin. The whole of Liverpool road requires relaying and as for the shops along there, Polish, dirty mini markets and kebab houses, need I say more. It is a very big shame. I will be looking to move away from Eccles as soon as I can, I dont want to but feel there is nothing left here. Im sure a lot of people will agree, some may disagree but it's my opinion.

Candid, Eccles (19/10/2009 at 20:50)

The more supermarkets the better, eccles already has an aldi, and a large morrisons, if eccles gets a tesco at west one and an asda in the precinct as well it will drive all the little shops out of business too, instead of calling eccles an old market town it could be called the NEW SUPERMARKET TOWN.
Some people call this capitalism, people in eccles like bargains, as most of the people in eccles appear to be on state benefits surely this will be good for them as they will be able to get better bargains. I just have to thank my self lucky i dont live in eccles.

PAUL ridge (27/12/2009 at 10:04)

u lot need to get a life if it isnt going to be a supermarket its just going to go further down hill.There is no going back now ,the only thing that killed eccles was when they demolished kwik save, so lets not look back ,if we can come to eccles get everything we want from a couple of shops go home and have m ore time with our families ,and probably more money in our pockets thats got to be good.perhaps the person who said eccles is full of state benefit people ,should look mat the jobs this would create.see you in our future town people.

-------------------------- -------------------------, ------------------------------------- (27/12/2009 at 14:32)

Eccles was great before before Salford took it over. It's gone down hill since they did.

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