Turnstone Estates has submitted a new planning application to Colchester Borough Council for its 200,000 sq ft, Northern Gateway leisure development in Colchester.
Set for completion in 2022/3, the Colchester Northern Gateway site now provides a 12-screen Cineworld cinema (with Superscreen and 4DX), a Hollywood Bowl bowling alley, a Putt Stars indoor golf centre, a Jump Street run climbing centre; seven restaurants, two drive thru restaurants and a 90-bed hotel. In addition to parking for 750 cars, the scheme will have eight electric car rapid charging points.
Cllr David King, Portfolio Holder for Business and Resources, said: “We warmly welcome these revised plans from Turnstone Estates. They represent an exciting and significant step forward in the development of a project that will bring some fantastic new leisure facilities as well as more hugely valuable new jobs and investment into Colchester. It shows again the confidence of others in Colchester’s future as a great place to live, work and visit.”
Colchester Northern Gateway was originally given planning permission in 2018 and Turnstone has incorporated modifications that, following discussions with occupiers, will improve the overall customer offer and respond to a changed and changing marketplace.
Chris Goldsmith, Managing Director of Turnstone Estates, said: “Despite the current uncertainty around the leisure sector, we have been buoyed by the continued level of occupational demand for Northern Gateway. Our revised plans will help to deliver an exciting, state-of-the-art leisure development for Colchester in a post-Covid environment.”
Colchester Amphora Trading Ltd (CATL), the council’s commercial trading company, is project managing the development which comprises the expansive leisure complex and will deliver up to 350 new homes, healthcare provision with older persons accommodation, and up to 55,700 sqm of commercial floorspace. The whole development will benefit from a carbon-cutting District Heat Network and an integral digital network providing ultra-fast broadband to homes and businesses.
Cllr Mark Cory, Leader of Colchester Borough Council, added: “This is a joint Council and private sector project that will bring major benefits to Colchester. It is a real boost for our economy at this difficult time. This project is a great example of how the Council is using its assets to provide a whole new entertainment and leisure complex for residents and visitors to enjoy, whilst ensuring it brings in money for the Council to help pay for frontline services.
“We are working with Turnstone and other partners at the wider Northern Gateway project, which includes the new Sports Park north of the A12 and a healthcare campus to the South. All will benefit local residents and create hundreds of jobs for our local economy. Furthermore, it is built on green credentials, with the largest ground source heat network of its kind in the country, using natural energy to provide heating and hot water for the whole area. This is another project where we are leading the country, something Colchester should be proud of.”
Subject to approval, work will start early next year. Turnstone is being advised by Whybrow and Wareing and Partners.