Introduction
Dominus is excited to continue engaging with the local community on the vision for the future of the Meadows Shopping Centre.
You are invited to attend our second public consultation event to learn about our proposals for the future of the Meadows Shopping Centre.
Following our first consultation event in February, we are holding a further event on Friday 26th and Saturday 27th April. This will provide further details of our proposals, which present an opportunity to revitalise the City Centre and create a new riverside destination through rich and varied experiences, welcoming public spaces and new hubs of activity.
We want to work together with the community to craft a placemaking vision that nurtures local initiatives, addresses local priorities and delivers long-term social impacts.
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Have your say
We want to hear from the
local community
The site
Located in the heart of Chelmsford, bounded by the Rivers Can and Chelmer
The Meadows shopping centre was opened in October 1992. The site comprises of the Meadows shopping centre, former Cater House offices above, the Meadows surface car park and Q Car Park. The northern boundary of the site faces into the river Chelmer with the southern boundary of the block facing onto the river Can. Dominus acquired the Meadows in November 2021.
Retail
Food & Beverage
Employment
Leisure
Residential
Community
Residential Amenity
Core
Back of House
The future of the Meadows
Our consultation to date
We held an initial consultation event in February 2024 to introduce our vision for the future of the Meadows, share initial ideas, and get your feedback to guide the initial design stage. Some of the key themes that emerged from this consultation were:
- Riverfront enhancement and green spaces: Prioritise initiatives to open up river frontages, create green spaces along riverbanks, and organise outdoor events to enhance the attractiveness and accessibility of riverfront areas, fostering community engagement and environmental sustainability.
- Revitalising shopping areas and independent businesses: Focus on strategies to revitalise the city centre experience by improving shop quality, introducing innovative concepts like indoor food markets, and attracting independent stores to combat vacancies, thereby supporting the local economy and create vibrant retail environments.
- Mixed-use development and community spaces: Invest in a mixed-use redevelopment that repurposes existing buildings to incorporate commercial spaces, entertainment venues, and community hubs alongside residential units, while also creating community spaces that cater to arts, creativity, and social interaction, promoting inclusivity and a sense of belonging.
- Entertainment and cultural enhancement: Encourage the development of entertainment and leisure facilities such as cinemas, arcades, and family entertainment centres to enhance the city’s offerings and attract visitors, alongside initiatives to enhance cultural attractions like museums, live music venues, and art installations, enriching the city’s cultural scene and fostering a sense of identity and pride among residents.
- Supporting a vibrant and diverse retail offer: Acknowledging the community’s concerns regarding the potential conversion of shopping centres into homes and emphasising the importance of preserving and enhancing retail spaces. Highlight the need to improve shop quality and the overall experience at ground floor level. Maintain the vitality of the city centre whilst exploring innovative approaches to redevelopment that prioritise the improvement of the city centre offer and the overall economic prosperity of the area.
Proposals
Our vision for an exciting, sustainable development
- A vibrant future – Revitalising the City Centre as a catalyst for Chelmsford to flourish, through creating opportunities for growth and new places to live, work and play that will generate activity and diversity throughout the day.
- Distinctly Chelmsford – Celebrating and building upon Chelmsford’s character and identity to make a place with a healthy future that will stand the test of time.
- A new riverside destination – Creating a destination that people – residents, workers, visitors and local families – want to be, though creating rich and varied experiences, welcoming public spaces and new hubs of activity.
- Sustainability – Minimising environmental impacts for current and future generations and providing green, ecologically rich spaces that celebrate the Rivers Can and Chelmer.
- City Centre living – Delivering much-needed high-quality homes in the heart of Chelmsford, alleviating pressure on greenfield land.
- Engagement – Working together with the community to craft a placemaking vision that nurtures local initiatives, addresses local priorities and delivers long-term social impacts.
Design
How the proposals will look
Timeline
What are the timescales?
February 2024
Public consultation event on the vision for the future of the Meadows – Download exhibition boards
April 2024
Public consultation event on the proposals for the Meadows – Download exhibition boards
Summer 2024
Submission of planning application to Chelmsford City Council (CCC) Statutory consultation on planning application by CCC
Spring 2025
Anticipated determination of planning application by CCC planning committee
Autumn 2025
Anticipated start on site
About Dominus
Identifying space.
Unlocking potential
From modest origins decades ago, we’ve grown into one of the UK’s most dynamic family-owned business groups, including specialising in industry-leading, socially impactful mixed-use schemes and regeneration projects.
To find out more please visit
Dominus Real Estate.
The Team
Who we are
- Dominus
Developer - JTP
Architects - Sphere 25
Planning Consultants - Meeting Place
Communications - The Yard Creative
Placemaking
Have your say
We want to hear your ideas
We would love to hear your ideas for the future of the Meadows. We want to work together with the local community to understand opportunities to revitalise the city centre, nurture local initiatives and deliver long term social impacts.