Revised Bury St Edmunds Cornhill Walk Shopping Centre redevelopment plans branded unsightly, unsympathetic and unsuitable

Residents living near an abandoned Bury St Edmunds shopping centre have hit out at revised plans to redevelop the site.

Knightspur Homes submitted amended proposals to build 43 homes and two ground floor commercial units, car and cycle parking on the site of Cornhill Walk Shopping Centre, in Brentgovel Street, last month.

West Suffolk Council is considering the scheme, which would see the 1980s shopping complex demolished.

Chris Ainger, of Cannon Street, objects to the proposal on the grounds of insufficient car parking and said West Suffolk Council should not issue any Zone A parking permits to the new properties, if the plans were approved, ‘thus removing the risk of any additional pressure on an already over-subscribed area’.

William Goodsall, of Well Street, said: “Overall the development is still too big, cramming a large number of flats into the available footprint.

“What is needed for this important and sensitive site is a better designed development of a smaller number of mainly larger dwellings with more green space.”

Margie Scott, of Well Street, also objects, citing ‘the unsightly and unsympathetic design which is completely unsuitable’ as one of several concerns.

James Maynard Lowe, of Well Street, said: “The site clearly needs to be redeveloped and I will be happy to support a scheme that complements the conservation area in which the Cornhill Walk site sits. The amended plans still fall significantly short of this.”

Rowland Smith, of Well Street, said: “Significant issues relating to parking and traffic flow remain. Green space between the buildings has been eroded to the point of extinction and with rear access removed it appears we will have a stream of bins or assorted rubbish being shifted down Well Street to storage within the compound.

“West Suffolk Council should have the confidence to do what’s best for Bury and refuse this application once again.”

While Graham Ashley, of Well Street, said: “The proposals would collectively destroy our quality of life. We would be living directly adjacent to a rammed-in car park with a narrow access, next to a bin store, surrounded on two sides by cycle loops and an overbearing and intimidating degree of overlooking.

“Maybe town living, but not as it should be.”

Sherril Furnell, of Well Street, said: “Bury deserves the best, for whatever is built on this site will be there for future generations.”

Susan Harrington Spier said: “Having lived opposite Cornhill Walk (which has never worked) since the Focus cinema was demolished, we, on Well Street, have hoped its replacement would benefit everyone. But no. The latest plan is an insult to us and all in Bury.”

Pauline Judge, of Well Street, said: “We have lived with the present hideous building for too long.

“These plans do not give me confidence that the developer is serious in producing a good place to live.”

Annie Page, of Well Street, said: “There simply is not enough space within such a small area for this number of new residents.”

And Penny Jones, of Well Street, said: “This site needs to be developed. And we want it to be developed. But it has to be the right development – and sadly this is not it.”

Bury Town Council recommends refusal.

Knightspur Homes was approached for comment.

Cornhill Walk was built on the site of an Art Deco cinema. It closed at the end of 2016 and has stood empty since.

An earlier scheme for the site was rejected by the planning inspectorate in 2001 on the grounds of mass, scale and proximity to Moyse’s Hall.