Rugby Town Centre
A mixed-use redevelopment within one of the fastest growing authorities in the UK and located in the heart of the midlands ‘Golden Triangle’. A re-imagining of the town centre to ensure it remains at the heart of the borough.
OPPORTUNITY
Rugby Borough Council is seeking a range of investment opportunities including development partners, forward funding and occupiers in new office, retail, leisure, residential and mixed-use town centre developments.
The prospect to work in partnership with the Council and other agencies is being developed to secure the delivery of a number of attractive investment opportunities in support of the Council’s long-term vision for the town centre. This will build on the significant investment that the Council has created in relation to the strategy and its associated projects.
Promoter / Partners: Rugby Borough Council
Scale: £300m+ GDV
Sector: Mixed-use Retail, Leisure, Office and Residential
Location: Rugby Town Centre
Investment Type: Development partners, forward funding and occupiers
Programme: 2022–2035
Planning Status: Rugby Town Centre Regeneration Strategy adopted December 2022
Website: www.rugby.gov.uk/regeneration
BACKGROUND
The Council wish to ensure that the Town Centre remains at the heart of the borough at a time when the functionality of a town centre is shifting from predominately retail uses to a wider range of mixed uses.
Rugby is the fastest growing authority in the West Midlands and is well known as the birthplace of Rugby football which celebrates its 200th Anniversary this year. Rugby town centre is located approximately a 10-minute drive to M6 Junction 1, A5 and M45 which links directly to the M1. The town centre also benefits from frequent bus and rail services to nearby centres. Rugby station is on the west coast mainline linking directly to London in 53 minutes and Birmingham New Street mainline rail station in 33 minutes. A new Rugby Parkway station is proposed on the Northampton line and will link Houlton to Rugby.
DESCRIPTION
The Town Centre Regeneration Strategy (“the Strategy”) was published in December 2022 and provides a vision for the physical change in the town centre over the next 15+ years. It has been developed as a series of interconnecting layers that combine to establish an overarching framework.
Rugby is a place to do business and thrive, but it is also a place to live and socialise. The strategy ensures that the town centre can be transformed to achieve this.
The Strategy contains 27 development projects in total, of which 6 are classed as catalytic projects. The catalytic projects would have a significant wider impact on the town centre stimulating further regeneration and change.
There are also public realm and movement interventions within the Strategy which will improve connectivity around the town centre for all users including linkages to the train station. The Strategy aims to re-purpose existing retail space, create a vibrant heart to the town, and attract new residential uses above ground level to ensure resilience.
The Strategy provides the planning framework for the town centre, is the basis for future planning and investment decisions and will inform the planning framework for the town centre within the Local Plan Review.
Funding has been successfully secured between 2021 and 2025 through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. A percentage of this funding will be used within the town centre on projects which will drive footfall and improve the town centre as a place e.g. public realm enhancements, meanwhile uses, potential shop front improvements scheme, etc. Plans are currently being drawn up in relation to the spend of this funding.
The Council has also created a £5million town centre strategy reserve. This will be used to drive development in the town centre. Investment is already being committed to the town centre and developers are recognising the high development potential of the town in light of the publication of the Strategy. Planning permission has been granted for the partial redevelopment of the Rugby Central shopping centre (reference RC20 within the Strategy) to provide a mixed used residential and commercial scheme with a high-quality design which will become a focal building within the entrance to Rugby town centre.
PROMOTER AND PARTNERSHIPS
The town centre development programme is being led by Rugby Borough Council working closely with existing occupiers and private landowners, and fully supported by key partners. The Council have set aside £5million of investment and is looking for further partnerships and investment to be able to realise the town’s potential.
LOCATION
Rugby town centre is ideally located to the east of the West Midlands region, at the heart of the UK’s motorway network and at the heart of the country. Convenient and fast rail links are in place to both London and Birmingham. The town is in a prime location and the interventions set out within The Strategy will support future investment.