Major refurbishment reflects 'vote of confidence' in Ealing

The Arcadia Centre in Ealing Broadway is to undergo a major redevelopment and will be renamed 1-8 The Broadway W5.

The current arrangement of 25 small retail units will disappear to be replaced by just 3 stores - including a brand new Morrisons on the lower floor.

TX Maxx will trade on the upper level still, but expand across the rest of the floor and will have a new Broadway entrance incorporating escalators and lifts, their Springbridge Road entrance will be reopened.

McDonald’s will expand - moving across to the old HMV unit, accessed from the Broadway corner. Both McDonald’s and TK Maxx will be able to continue trading throughout the building works

Property investors Benson Elliot bought the 2.8 acre site in December 2012 for round £40m and are hoping the changes will breathe new life into Ealing.

The main focus of the new building will be the corner entrance on The Broadway and Spring Bridge Road (where HMV used to be), which will feature metal-framed, double-height windows below a new landmark terracotta illuminated ‘lantern’ featuring a clock.

The shopping centre’s Broadway façade will be brought back into line with the rest of the high street, with new framed double-height shop windows.

The building’s Spring Bridge Road façade will have its existing windows re-glazed and terracotta panelling added to the refurbished brickwork.

Benson Elliot is working with Allies and Morrison, who are credited with a number of landmark developments in London, including the widely acclaimed refurbishment of the Royal Festival Hall on London’s Southbank and sensitive mixed-use town centre schemes including Hereford and Winchester.

As part of the project’s development, Benson Elliot has consulted with Ealing Council, the Business Improvement District and the local community.

Peter Cornforth, Director of Retail at Benson Elliot, said:

“Our vision is to resuscitate the struggling Arcadia Centre, turning it into three contemporary retail units fronting The Broadway. It’s very encouraging to see major high street brands and retailers expanding their presence, or entering the town centre for the first time. Given the number of vacant units on high streets up and down the country, we see this as a major vote of confidence in Ealing.”

Matthew McMillan, Chief Executive Officer, Ealing Broadway Business Improvement District said:

“Ealing is on the up. Benson Elliot’s initial investment in the Arcadia Portfolio and now this commitment to create space for three large stores at 1-8 The Broadway is good news. With British Land recently buying the Broadway Centre, Land Securities coming onboard for the Cinema Quarter development and St George’s success at Dickens Yard, business and investor confidence in Ealing is really gathering pace. We look forward to continued momentum and discussing Benson Elliot’s plans for their phase two development shortly.”

Councillor David Millican, Ealing Conservative Group Leader said:

"I'm excited with the plans for 1-8 The Broadway, with some large name retailers having agreed to move in. There is still a long way to go to develop the whole site, but it is finally beginning to take shape."

Benson Elliot has also announced it's bought 12-14 The Broadway.

This takes Benson’s Elliot’s total investment to around £45 m in the town centre. Later this year, the company will begin consultation on proposals for the rest of the site.

What do you think of the plans? Discuss on the forum.

21st March 2013