Work on shopping centre revamp to start this year

Work on the regeneration of a dilapidated shopping centre in Staffordshire will begin before the end of 2026, council chiefs have said.

The Maltings in Uttoxeter has been earmarked for redevelopment by East Staffordshire Borough Council since 2023 and plans proposing its partial demolition were submitted in July.

However, a decision on the planning application has yet to be made, and at a recent meeting, Councillor Phillip Hudson asked when work would begin.

The authority said there had been some delays during the planning process but progress would be made later this year.

Hudson, who represents the Crown ward, asked when the council would start "getting things going" and whether there had been any interest in the scheme from the private sector.

The Conservative member added: "When you see on social media that people are saying the Maltings are a disgrace, it's very hurtful to a resident who has lived there for 43 years.

"I think it's about time the council started to make things happen, and visibly make it happen."

The planning application for the partial demolition proposes to knock down 19 of the 24 buildings, which were built in the 1960s.

Once the units are cleared, a temporary space would be created for food vendors and market stalls until work on the permanent redevelopment could start.

Responding to Hudson's question, Councillor Louise Walker, cabinet member for regeneration, said The Maltings would be demolished and landscaped.

She said a decision had not been made on the planning application yet "for various reasons", including consultation work with Heritage England.

"They did an in-depth look at it and what the High Street would look like without it, so that did put us back," she said.

Walker added: "You will see some change by the end of the year."

The council previously said the units at The Maltings had been vacant for a long time and had become "dilapidated", with concerns raised over their declining condition.

The authority has planned the regeneration since it bought the neighbouring former Co-op building in 2023.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.

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