New chapter for St Austell begins today 29th October 2009

Today, Thursday 29 October 2009, marks the beginning of a new chapter for Cornwall's largest town as the first shops of the £75m town centre redevelopment opened their doors to crowds of excited shoppers.

The scheme has seen a brand new Wilkinson store arrive in the town bringing with it 95 jobs. Other retailers opening today include Peacocks, Bonmarche, New Look and Halifax bank, with other stores in advanced negotiations to open in the coming months.

The Mayor, Cllr Brian Palmer marked the milestone by unveiling a commemorative plaque at the South Street entrance to the scheme, signalling the moment for thousansds of eager people to venture into the new shopping destination. Entertainment was on hand in the form of The St Austell Town Band and a selection of dazzling circus performers, who had onlookers spellbound with their magic tricks and feats. At midday one lucky shopper even won a £1,000 shopping spree - Dee Taylor from Cambridgeshire was delighted with the prize and began planning his/her purchases straight away.


New Centre Manager, Claire Daniel comments: "This is a real landmark day both for me as the new Centre Manager, but also for me as a lifelong resident of St Austell. White River Place is bringing another dimension to our town centre; giving it the opportunity to compete with neighbouring centres and to profit from its proximity to nearby tourist hubs like the Eden Project.

"I wholeheartedly believe that its arrival will be of significant benefit to the town as a whole, both now and in the coming years."

White River Place which has been delivered through a partnership between the former Restormel Borough Council, the private investor White River Developments and the South West RDA (Regional Development Agency), has arrived both on time and on budget overseen by a steering group with an independent chairman.

The Borough Council initiated the project in 1998 via a marketing brief and an inviation for expressions of interest and ensured that Compulsory Purchase powers were taken and all the land required was assembled and passed to the RDA. The former Borough and County Councils also ensured that the wider improvements in the town centre, such as the Civic Pride programme that ran in parallel with the new redevelopment and engaged with local traders and the community to ensure views on the scheme and its progress were properly addressed via a complex Planning process.


Paul Scott, Chairman of St Austell Chamber of Commerce comments: "At a time when urban regeneration and private investment in town centres is becoming ever thinner on the ground, this development has come at just the right time for us, making way for a better economic future for St Austell and a stronger town centre offer for residents and visitors alike."

Sean Finlay, Director of White River Developments comments: "White River Place is 65% let, and the substantial interest we have received from further regional and national retailers suggests that the figure may rise to 80% by Christmas. When considering equivalent figures for other new centres, many of which opened similarly well let in far more buoyant times, it becomes clear that White River Place is a definite hit with retailers, which is a great vote of confidence for the scheme and the town."

Sean continues: "Our intention has always been to provide St Austell with a centre that adds to its existing offer, drawing greater numbers of shoppers to the town. As part of this process a new wave of jobs has been created for local people and St Austell has affirmed its prominent position on Cornwall's map. National recession or not, that is a major achievement which has been made possible thanks to the support and hard work of hundreds of individuals and organisations."

Carolyn Rule, Cornwall Council cabinet member for the Economy and Regeneration, said: “This project is a true example of a group effort, driven to success in sometimes difficult circumstances. It will be the benchmark for quality town centre development in Cornwall for many years to come.”

The South West RDA invested £31.5m in the £75m project, having recognised the opportunity it presented for St Austell and wider Cornwall.

Ian Piper, Director of Development and Regeneration for the RDA comments: "Delivering this major capital investment project on-budget and on-time is a fantastic achievement and a real testament to the commitment of everyone involved in St Austell’s regeneration."

He adds: "For the first time in many years, considerable positive changes are taking place in St Austell and during these difficult financial times, this centre will bring several hundred new jobs to Cornwall’s largest town, providing a much needed boost to the local economy. The development is only the second retail scheme in the country to be awarded an ‘excellent’ rating for its environmental credentials. It really is a project that the residents of St Austell can be proud of."

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