CWAC granted lease for Northwich Weaver Square
Cheshire West & Chester Council has acquired the lease of the 66,000 sq ft Weaver Square Shopping Centre, which was left half-empty when its previous owner ceased trading in 2012.
As owners of the freehold of the land, the council successfully negotiated with receivers, Colliers International, for the formal surrender of the 99-year ground lease for Weaver Square.
The authority's estates management team will become landlord to the 22 tenants in the precinct, with 21 units currently vacant.
Weaver Square shopping centre is located near other land interests owned by CWAC, including the Market Hall, Victoria Club car park and the vacant Watling Street office building.
Cheshire West & Chester Council will now begin a review of its longer term plans for Weaver Square and the adjoining properties looking at their strategic value in the regeneration of the town centre.
Cllr Stuart Parker, executive member for culture and economy, said: "We are very much aware of local concerns over the condition of Weaver Square – particularly with a view to its strategically important position in the town centre.
"Baron's Quay and Memorial Court will represent the new face of Northwich and we need to ensure that any future development will meet our aspirations and complement and enhance the exciting plans already under way.
"All current tenants will remain in the shopping centre under the terms of their current agreement and we will be talking to them, together with other stakeholders in the near future."
Please don’t let CWAC mess this chance up.I suggest it is all smartened up,to become a large covered market with the small shop units opening onto the pedestrian ways,and leading to Witton Street via Crown St entrance and the other entrance by the Pound bakery,and all under cover. The existing open market area could be a traders’ car park, leading through to the bus station.A really good indoor market is an enormous draw for any town (Bolton,Bury)and would complement the shops in Witton St and the new planned developments.Also Quality Save should be required to reopen the rear doors into Town Square which would improve their footfall as people would be passing through en route to the covered market.Well that’s what I’d be looking at if I had any say in the matter,which I don’t!
By Liz Cooley