The redevelopment of an iconic hardware store in the centre of Hadleigh in Suffolk has been given the green light today by Babergh District Council.
Bridging the High Street and Magdalen Road, Partridges is at the hub of activity in the town, where it has been trading for 200 years. It sits in the Hadleigh Conservation Area, and encompasses a series of linked buildings, three of which are Grade II Listed.
Consent has been given to demolish the unlisted shop, workshop and storage buildings along George Street and Magdalen Road, and redevelop the whole site to create three mixed use buildings, containing retail space on the ground floor and 14 one and two bedroom apartments on the first and second floors. The original listed Partridges buildings along the High Street and George Street will be retained as retail spaces.
The scheme has developed over the past two years and included two public consultation events which were both well recieved.
The proposal provides the possibility for an investor to retain a reduced sized hardware store in the original Partridges building.
The design has evolved through a close examination and understanding of the site and its history, alongside the need to provide a viable redevelopment option which will improve the streetscape of the town and provide space for both public and private use. The apartments will appeal to first time buyers and downsizers.
As well as a new frontage to Magdalen Street and George Street, the scheme seizes the opportunity to establish a new public square named and thoroughfare named ‘Partridges Walk’ with bench seating and trees, linking George Street with the Co-op, creating a new attraction for the town and hopefully stimulating footfall.
A spokesperson for the family owners of Partridges said “The granting of planning permission for this redevelopment of the site brings an opportunity to rejuvenate this iconic shop and fits sympathetically into Hadleigh’s historic environment. It is our sincere hope that the legacy of Partridges will continue for many years to come and the centre of Hadleigh will continue to flourish.”
Please follow this link to view the detail of the application online:
Babergh Mid Suffolk Planning Application Details Online Link
Above: The view from Magdalen Road looking at the rear of the Co-op.
Click to see same view from Google Streetview
Thanks to the consultant team:
Leigh Alston MA (Oxon): Heritage Asset Assessment
The Environmental Design Partnership: Heritage Impact Assessment
MHE Consulting: Ecology Report
Ingent Consulting Engineers: Flood Risk Assessment, Drainage Strategy and Transport Statement
Suffolk County Council Archaeology Service