Plans to redevelop land previously earmarked for Friarsgate will not see housing built before other aspects, councillors have been told.

The former Tempest Ford site in Lichfield city centre
The former Tempest Ford site in Lichfield city centre

Lichfield District Council’s cabinet backed proposals for a mixed use scheme on the rebranded Birmingham Road site.

It will see a zoned approach taken with the development broken up into sections for leisure, offices and residential aspects to be built over a staggered period.

But Cllr Doug Pullen, leader of the council, told a cabinet meeting this week that he did not want to see the housing element built first.

“We want to see the cinema, leisure and food and beverage leading the way on the site – we absolutely do not want to see the residential part leading the way.

“There is an inherent danger that if we go first with residential that nothing else ever happens. We don’t want that to happen.

“This is a site that needs public open space, leisure, cinema etc built on it, so we will lead with that.”

Cllr Doug Pullen, Lichfield District Council

The redevelopment proposals would finally see the land repurposed more than 15 years after the doomed Friarsgate site was earmarked.

Cllr Andy Smith, cabinet member for innovation and corporate services, said he was pleased to see reassurances over the priority being given to different aspects of the project.

“I and other cabinet members were keen to see the leisure part of this site – the cinema, family restaurants etc – get delivered.

“Doing the zoned approach means we don’t have to wait for residential to get completed.”

Cllr Andy Smith, Lichfield District Council

“The cinema is critical”

An artist's impression of the cinema which would have formed part of the Friarsgate development
An artist’s impression of the cinema which would have formed part of the Friarsgate development

The cinema – which indicative plans show could be built on the area currently occupied by the Birmingham Road multi-storey car park – has been a central part of plans for redevelopment of the site, with an operator identified in 2016 before the Friarsgate scheme bit the dust.

No details of who might take on such a facility in the new proposals has yet become available, but the council said it had seen a positive response from developers and other parties as part of a market testing exercise.

But Cllr Pullen has previously spoken of his view that the chance for movie fans to enjoy the big screen in the city would be critical element of the new plans.

“We want to see people travelling in to visit the cinema and then while they’re here with their wallets and purses open they can spend money in other shops.

““The cinema is critical as it will give us an exciting cultural area with the Lichfield Garrick, a cinema and new food and beverage options.”

Cllr Doug Pullen, Lichfield District Council

The proposals for the Birmingham Road site development will now be put before full council later this month for a final decision on whether to push ahead with the scheme.

26 Comments
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Dora
2 years ago

I don’t see why we need any residential on this site, they are talking as if they have a acres and acres to fill!

Claire Barton
2 years ago

Parking really needs to be considered. The multi storey is perfect parking for the Garrick cinema. I really hope they consider where people will park for both the cinema and the theatre! The land isn’t that big really for all that’s being considered to be built. Make a decision that won’t be one of regret in the future.

Dale
2 years ago

Who is going to want to visit a cinema that is situated in the middle of a building site? The noise, mess and general disruption is going to make it a very unattractive place to visit.

Or, is that the plan. Build it. Ensure it fails. Knock it down and build more housing.

Richard
2 years ago

Their plan is 10% – made up of a 1 screen cinema, a couple of units for mixed use and then 90% of residential for retirement apartments.

Gary
2 years ago

I think that’s about right Richard, they think we’re idiots.

Mr Mr
2 years ago

I agree Dora why the obsession with residential ? If they build any houses they need to blend in like the Angel Croft new phase which has just been approved. But no old folk or care homes or anything with an age restriction on it !!!

Ben
2 years ago

Any residential in the scope of this site at all feels like it would be perverting the opportunity to tackle the Friarsgate legacy as well as the lack of leisure services offered in Lichfield.

We’ve seen the song and dance enough times, developers will pay lip service to the council so that it seems that ‘leisure and food and beverage leading the way on the site’ so this can be promoted in the press machine. Then in the eleventh hour we’ll be told that it is just no longer feasible with the current market conditions but that all is not lost, the residential aspect doesn’t need to go to waste and is already fully planned, financed and is scalable to the site even without the other elements. By the time the house building is underway the council will find themselves locked into a legal agreement that prevents further development due to the proximity to the site at which point we’ll get an excuse along the lines of ‘it was a previous cabinet decision that got us here’ or ‘there is nothing we can do without paying a release amount which isn’t in the interest of residents’, ultimately getting chalked up as at least they’re getting more council tax revenue that will aid whatever the next trojan horse project of that era is.

I hope this will be reconsidered at the point the full plans are put forward and discussed, but based on what I’m reading and hearing I remain pessimistic we have the right intentions and drive at the decision making table and hope I’m ultimately proved wrong.

Woody
2 years ago

Smoke and mirrors come to mind.

Dean
2 years ago

Will there be a stannah stairlift in the cinema?

Adam
2 years ago

I’m pleasantly surprised that on these days of streaming services and huge televisions in people’s lounges Lichfield has the footfall to support a cinema; when I go to ODEON in Tamworth or Cineworld in Burton they are never busy.

Mr Mr
2 years ago

Spot on Ben I think you need to send this to all concerned and have a sign erected on-site before digging starts ? Get the councils legal team to right in they are liable for any failings outside the agreed scope of build. That’s their job to make sure it’s legally covered in case things go wrong ?
Would be good to get a response from the council on your comments.

Mr Mr
2 years ago

Don’t forget the poor souls who lost their jobs when the council knocked down Kennings for FriarysGate ? These people are incompetent don’t forget someone needs to make sure this is enshrined in law ? My daughter is nearly 28 and since a child we have been promised a cinema ? Kwiksave was going to be turned back into a cinema but they said “No we don’t need 2 cinemas in Lichfield” the rest is history

Simon
2 years ago

Ben, what you need to do is copy and paste your excellent post and send it to Cllr Eadie and the leader of LDC, Cllr Pullen. Their email addresses are public information on the LDC website. If enough of us make our feelings known hopefully they will listen.

Charlotte
2 years ago

For leisure, maybe put in a bowling alley. People would love that.

105 year old fogey
2 years ago

We will need a Werther’s Originals shop, place to buy general knitting supplies, and somewhere for denture repair servicing. The cinema will need to think about our cataracts and hearing impairments, and provide foot stools.

George
2 years ago

I think it has been said before, we need more leisure facilities in Lichfield centre, not more residential. I don’t see why there can’t be a complex over a few floors consisting of a cinema and bowling. Even an indoor crazy golf would be good. Let’s make the most of this opportunity. If some housing is needed to achieve this then so be it, but let’s not fill most of the site with housing please!

Ben
2 years ago

@Mr Mr / Simonsays – Thanks for the encouragement, I do plan to write to the council on the matter and anything of substance I’m sent back I’ll be sure to share through a related article. I encourage anyone else reading with concerns to also lend us your voice to help us make it clear that the residents of Lichfield from our many different walks of life are indeed paying attention, and that an opportunity such as this should be protected and locally driven if we truly want to achieve levelling up.

I should clarify that I’m not particularly against the idea of some form of office zoning in contrast to the original push, but feel it should still remain secondary and weighted as complimentary to the needs of the local economy such as flexible office space and communal opportunities that promote access to skill sets or promote grassroots networking.

Just make it a public green space!
2 years ago

Honestly, just make it a public garden, a nice well designed unique public green space. Put something in it for everyone….recreational areas for all, maybe even a good quality play area, a nice water feature, an all weather picnic area. Add Unusual trees and plants. An Area for pop up traders to sell Food and beverages. A public speaking area for small get togethers like small music performances or book readings. Anything but a Nando’s and a Cinema please. Show some imagination and some class for once.

Ian
2 years ago

The cynicism in some posts is depressing although I understand it comes from bitter experience. I’d rather take a positive view and applaud the mixed use, packaged approach.

A boutique cinema (Everyman springs to mind) is a premium experience and distinct from the multiplexes elsewhere. Including the current council buildings in the site enhances the appeal, perhaps for an operator like Hotel du Vin or similar.

Lichfield is a target destination for restaurant chains where we are under-served, thinking Pizza Express, Bistrot Pierre, Giggling Squid, All Bar One – we have great independents who would still prosper against such competition and the increased offering would, in itself, be a magnet.

Moving the council offices to the new development, with reduced floor plate and as a guaranteed pre-let, is sound commercial practice and seems to have worked well in Stafford.

Public realm improvements maintaining sight lines to the Cathedral from the railway station is good – and much of the bus station is unused anyway. The multi-storey is ugly and high-maintenance and blocks easy access to the shops; alternative parking is necessary and should accommodate EV charging points.

The proposals and the approach are sound!

M L
2 years ago

Lichfield is a target destination for restaurant chains where we are under-served, thinking Pizza Express, Bistrot Pierre Not real restaurants then just expensive junk food. Lichfield needs some top quality restaurants

George
2 years ago

@Ian, you make some fair points but the overriding concern is that most of this site will be residential, which nobody wants. I second Everyman, it would be great to get one similar to the Mailbox in Birmingham (which has 3 screens) in Lichfield.

Ken H
2 years ago

I think before the multi storey car park is demolished, it would be nice to see plans where additional car parking is going to be
The bus station is underused because there is nothing there no cafe, no protection from weather, no information for when buses are coming, insufficient toilet facilities
Where is it going to be put
I thought they said public transport was the way forward get us out of our cars
The cinema would be best positioned on the Kennings garage site, as a show piece when entering Lichfield
The multi storey car park could be for the cinema, the Garrick Theatre and shops direct access to the shop when used again, or will that be demolished
The council offices that have had work done on them could be left
All I can see on this scheme is a lot of wasted money
I think there is a lot of work to be done, before anything is started, who is going to run the cinema etc. Detailed drawings of buildings to be prepared
Or I can see it being another Friarsgate

Chris Hamilton
2 years ago

Lichfield could have had real gem with retro 2 screen cinema (Kwiksave) but chose to build more retirement apts that appear to be White Elephant “greed”

They need to breath new life and independence and unique development to Lichfield whilst protecting its heritage…that’s why many people live here

Yes we want something for everyone!!!but a cinema I’m not sure, we’re surrounded by them

Chris Hamilton
2 years ago

Someone mentioned open park/green area with beautiful gardens “why not”

Robbie
2 years ago

We keep building residential property and increasing the amount of people in lichfield however the infrastructure of the town is appalling, no good quality shopping area. Why do we need a cinema? I’m not so sure we do. Think this is a smokescreen for building residential property by shoehorning in a small cinema.

Carl Sholl
2 years ago

I would echo a lot of the comments above. Anything but housing would be good. Open space – good. Cinema – good (on the old Kennings/Tempest Ford sight to stand out to passing traffic). Leisure centre – good. We still need a bus station and parking (including for electric vehicles). Council offices, not doing any harm where they are. Housing – nobody wants more housing on this site.