Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough Council, with strategic development partners, Queensberry have launched the newly named mixed-use development, Grayson Place, in the heart of Nuneaton in Warwickshire. The 2.3-hectare town centre redevelopment in Abbey Street will see the addition of a unique blend of leisure units, retail space, a food hall and 5-screen cinema alongside 30 new homes, office space, education facilities, a hotel and a multi-storey carpark – creating a vibrant new destination for people to eat, meet, drink, shop, live and work.
Grayson Place will include 29,000 sq ft of leisure, a 10,000 sq ft food fall and 8,000 sq ft of other F&B and retail, as well as an extensive new public realm, designed to offer a safe and flexible space for markets, pop-ups and cultural uses.
Its prominent location at the heart of the town centre means that the scheme is within easy reach of the train and bus stations, as well as benefitting from a catchment of 186,000 people within a 15-minute drive and a further 2.2 million within 40 minutes drivetime.
Grayson Place is the first landmark project in the Transforming Nuneaton programme, undertaken by Warwickshire County Council and Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough Council together with strategic development partner, Queensberry.
Cllr Kris Wilson, Leader of the Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough Council, said: “We are excited to unveil the name and vision for Grayson Place, a project which has been years in the making and will create a prosperous town centre that is set to add an estimated £70m to the local economy and create 400 jobs during construction and 1,500 jobs upon completion for the town centre.
We are confident that the regeneration will create a strong hub for the community whilst ensuring that the town reduces its impact on climate change. The programme will unlock a wealth of business and education opportunities, as well as pave the way for additional housing development and infrastructure.”
Grayson Place is already under construction with partners BAM Construct UK. Phase 1 of the scheme will open early 2024 with the launch of a new Hampton by Hilton hotel. The hotel, the first ever in the town centre, will offer 145 rooms and be the new signature destination for visitors to Nuneaton. The next phase of Grayson Place, adding new leisure and culture facilities, a public square and a new town centre campus for North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College, will complete in early 2025.
Rob Hughes, Senior Development Manager from Queensberry, said: “As strategic development partner for the regeneration of Grayson Place, we have been able to reimagine a town centre that has a genuine community focus and creates a place to live and a true mix of leisure, learning and employment spaces. We are thrilled to be working with Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough Council and celebrate this milestone with them as we look to the future, to bringing the new vision for the area to life.”
Grayson Place has received funding from the West Midlands Combined Authorities (WMCA) to bring forward the first phase of the project. Further funding for the development comes from the Government’s Future High Street Fund and Towns Fund and the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership.
Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands and WMCA chair, said: “The WMCA is investing more than £775,000 into the regeneration of Grayson Place, which is set to bring a fantastic new town centre for Nuneaton. Its development is a key project in the on-going revitalisation of the West Midlands, benefitting from inward investment, the generation of new jobs and ultimately an improvement in the quality of life of those who live in the town.
“The last few years have been challenging for our high streets and town centres, which is why the WMCA is backing projects like Grayson Place, which can breathe new life into these important locations, helping them maintain their traditional role as the beating heart of local communities. This means moving away from being so retail-focused and instead looking to diversify with more homes, public services, offices, and start-up spaces, combined with better transport links and safety measures.”
Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough Council with strategic development partner Queensbury have worked with Glenn Howells Architects and BAM Construct UK to bring the vision for Grayson Place to life, whilst RK Real Estate and Leisure Division lead on the leasing. The name for the development, which was chosen in honour of the late Larry Grayson, Nuneaton resident and prominent comedian, entertainer and national TV personality in the 1970s and 80s, was selected in consultation with the local community.