People are being invited to drop in and see plans for a multi-million pound development to create a new community in Stafford.

The event is part of the consultation on the Stafford Station Gateway masterplan which will see new homes, businesses, hotel, and leisure facilities in the town. 

The plan is focused on revitalising underutilised brownfield land around the railway station. The project would see the ‘Station Gateway’ become a thriving active community, boosted by the town’s location at the heart of the proposed HS2 route. 

With HS2 expected to cut travel time to London to 53 minutes, Stafford will become a major new transport hub and the masterplan sets in place the amenities to maximise the opportunity on the town’s doorstep. 

The six-week consultation was launched last month with residents and businesses encouraged to share their views on the proposals. And now Stafford Borough Council, along with partners LCR - the government’s placemaking and regeneration expert - are running a drop-in session for people to get more insight on the planned development. 

The session will take place from 4pm to 8pm on Tuesday 6 September at the Civic Centre in Stafford. Officers from the council and LCR will be on hand to talk about the draft scheme - with views to be taken on board before a final plan is submitted. 

A number of resident associations and stakeholders have already been invited to the drop in session. 

The major transformation includes proposals to create up to 20,000 sq ft of commercial space, alongside hundreds of new high-quality homes, a hotel and multi-storey car park. The offer also provides opportunities for brand new leisure, retail and food and beverage concepts to create a fresh and vibrant centre for the community.  

The new framework is being delivered by the council, LCR and Staffordshire County Council. 

Along with delivering a variety of housing and commercial space, the scheme will also reimagine the public realm in the area. This will include creating walkable neighbourhoods that are well-connected to the town centre, designed to encourage more active lifestyles and bring community wellbeing to the fore.  

The consultation is due to end on Thursday 29 September and people can have their say online at www.staffordbc.gov.uk/stafford-station-gateway-consultation which includes a summary of the draft plan. Once all community feedback has been factored in, the masterplan will be submitted to the council for final approval. The search for development partners to deliver the proposals will get underway when the plans are agreed.  

There has already been a huge amount of investment in the town in recent times - with the opening of the £63m Western Access Road, work underway on the £28 million state of the art skills and engineering facility at Stafford College as well as the new Shire Hall enterprise hub, and £2.5m restoration of Victoria Park.   

Money has been secured by the Borough Council for the £21m Future High Street Fund transformation of the town centre including work to improve the landscape outside the front of Stafford Railway Station. The County Council have also secured £7.1m for the Staffordshire History Centre, off Eastgate Street.    

Councillor Frances Beatty, Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Planning, said: “There have already been many comments and responses to the consultation and I hope people will take the opportunity to come along and share their views about this exciting opportunity 

“Growth and prosperity is a key priority for the council. We have attracted huge investment to our area working closely with our partners - and the financial backing we have received is testament to the confidence that government has in us to deliver major developments such as the Stafford Station Gateway project.” 

“This underutilised area will see the birth of a new community, with quality homes where people will want to live, alongside a business-friendly environment and leisure facilities, sitting on the doorstep of our station which will be an enormous attraction to potential investors.  

“The ‘Station Gateway’ scheme is yet another piece in the jigsaw of transforming the heart of Stafford and I hope people will not miss out being part of this consultation.” 

Nick Smithson, senior development manager at LCR, said: “Given the rich history of Stafford, it is a town that local people are rightly deeply invested in and as such it is incredibly important that the community is given the opportunity to own conversations around what these changes will mean for them. 

“We want to ensure that Stafford Station Gateway reaches its full potential and becomes a much-loved part of the town’s fabric. We are looking forward to hearing the community’s thoughts on the proposals and working closely with them throughout the project to create a place the town can be proud of.” 

Councillor Philip White, deputy leader and cabinet member for economy and skills at Staffordshire County Council, said: “We’d urge people to have their say on this exciting masterplan at the drop-in event or through the consultation. 

“The Stafford Gateway project is hugely significant in the ongoing regeneration of the town centre, capitalising on the enhanced connectivity at the station that HS2 will bring. New commercial and housing development will make the county town an even better place to live work and visit, in addition to bringing more employment opportunities. 

“It will complement the work we have been doing, together with Stafford Borough Council, which include the Stafford Western Access Route, the Shire Hall Business Centre and the Eastgate area regeneration plans.” 

Press Release 5941