Minister gives green light to £120m shops scheme

Beverley’s Flemingate scheme –which could now be open by the end of 2014 – includes an 80-bed Premier Inn, office accommodation, an independent cinema and retail giant Debenhams.

The plans were approved by councillors in July, but had to be referred to the Government. Communities Secretary Eric Pickles has now told East Riding Council he will not call the application in.

Dominic Gibbons, managing director of lead developers Hull-based Wykeland Group, said: “The Flemingate regeneration project has been a seven-year journey through the concept and planning stage and has involved a huge team of town planning experts, architects, retail consultants and other professionals to get to this point.”

Mr Gibbons said they hoped work would start in the middle of next year, adding: “The actual build programme will take around 18 months to complete and it is hoped the whole site will open as one, in autumn 2014.”

Beverley & District Chamber of Trade supported the original scheme, but objected to an increase in the retail element by 25 per cent.

Chairman Ben Gardiner said: “Now that it is going ahead what we are hoping is that Beverley can now become a destination of choice for people who want a day out for shopping, cinema, to go for something to eat or just to enjoy the ambience of the market town with its Minster, St Mary’s and Treasure House. We are certainly going to be working with Wykeland and the retailers who move in to promote Beverley as a whole.”

The development on the 16-acre site north of Flemingate also includes a new £14m base for East Riding College.

Construction is already well underway on the first phase of the development’s residential scheme.

Council leader Steve Parnaby said: “This is a landmark decision for Beverley and gives the green light to a major project that will regenerate an important part of the town close to the Minster.

“The proposals have been through a comprehensive planning and consultation process and I believe there is widespread support for a development that is set to strengthen our already vibrant and successful market town.”