Vineyard Gate will be a flagship shopping centre designed to integrate with the traditional heart of Colchester and blend a modern retail experience with the town’s unique heritage.
The development will cover 3.4 hectares (approximately 8.4 acres) at the edge of the historic heart of the town. Located approximately 200m south of the High Street, the site is bounded to the north by the Town Wall and Eld Lane, to the east by St Botolph’s Street and Queen Street, to the south by Southway and to the west by Stanwell Street. The aerial photograph of the town centre (shown here) provides an indicative outline of the location of the proposed Vineyard Gate scheme.
Scheme highlights include:
- Improved shopping facilities, including a new department store and a wide selection of leading high street retailers, providing over 550,000 sq ft (51,000 m²) of additional retail space to the town’s overall shopping offer;
- Upgraded public transport facilities, including a new bus station and taxi rank;
- A new ‘gateway’ to the town centre – the result of improved links between central Colchester and southern parts of the town, including the Garrison site;
- A proper setting for the Town Wall and other historical buildings and structures;
- New homes bringing more people to live in the town centre.
Click on the plans and artist’s impressions of the Vineyard Gate scheme to see larger versions.
The preferred design concepts from the three design competitions will determine the look of three key elements of Vineyard Gate, thereby helping to create an interesting and varied townscape that will be unique and relevant to Colchester. The chosen proposals from leading design practices GROSS.MAX., Hakes Associates and MLM will be integrated into the overall design by Colchester-based architects Stanley Bragg Partnership.
