Transformation of Stafford town to be discussed next month

A major new blueprint for Stafford town centre is due to be discussed by senior councillors next month, setting out what could become the biggest transformation of the county town in a generation.

According to a Stafford Borough Council press release, the proposed development framework centres on a very different future for the town centre, with plans built around town centre living, improved public spaces, a market hall with a food court, entertainment, competitive socialising, artisan traders, office space and an expansion of Stafford College.

What is being proposed

The council says the framework could include up to 200 new homes, more than 3,000 square metres of commercial space including a new market hall, 6,000 square metres of education space to support the expansion of Stafford College, and just under 3,000 square metres of improved public space.

The press release also says a food hall and retail outlets are at the heart of the emerging plans, alongside the wider shift towards a town centre that works for modern lifestyles rather than relying mainly on traditional daytime shopping.

Why the plans are being brought forward

The council says changing shopping habits and leisure expectations mean many older town centres are no longer fit for purpose and need to evolve. In Stafford, that has already led to major intervention by the council, including the purchase of the Guildhall Shopping Centre and the former Co-op department store using Future High Streets Fund money. Both buildings have now been demolished.

Even so, some familiar parts of the old townscape are expected to remain. The council says the iconic frontages of both the Guildhall and former Co-op will be retained as part of the redevelopment, and that other historic landmarks will also be incorporated into the plans.

Developer interest and the next phase

The report going to cabinet next month is expected to say that demolition and groundwork preparation in the town centre have already created significant developer interest. The council says it is now entering what it describes as a “critical and exciting phase” and wants to move forward quickly to secure development partners who share its vision for Stafford.

Council leader Aidan Godfrey said the development framework is an important part of the next stage of the regeneration programme and will help shape future development proposals. He said the aim is to move away from “tired and vacant shopfronts” in a high street that mainly operates in the daytime, towards a place where people want to live and spend time.

Deputy leader Rob Kenney said the transformation would be the biggest in a generation and said the council’s earlier work on acquisition, demolition and site clearance had helped build confidence among investors.

Wilko site also part of the wider picture

The press release also confirms that a planning application has recently been submitted to demolish the former Wilko site, which forms part of the wider town centre regeneration plans.

That means the next phase is not only about the cleared Guildhall and Co-op sites, but about a broader reshaping of central Stafford.

Wider investment in Stafford

The council says the town has already seen major public investment in recent years. It points to the refurbishment of Market Square and improvements to the approach and entrance to Stafford Railway Station through Future High Streets Fund money, as well as the opening of the £22 million Institute of Technology campus, the £9 million Staffordshire History Centre, and early work due to begin on the Stafford Station Gateway project backed by £20 million of government funding.

What happens next

The development framework is due to go before the council’s cabinet next month, and the council says the cabinet report and full framework document will be made publicly available soon. It also says the framework will be shared with potential investors at the UK Real Estate, Investment and Infrastructure Forum in May.

So while this is not yet a final planning application for the whole town centre, it is an important sign of what Stafford Borough Council wants the next chapter of the town to look like.