New images have been revealed of plans for a £75 million regeneration scheme in Stoke-on-Trent.

Manchester-based developer Capital & Centric announced in March that it wants to redevelop the Swift House site, close to Stoke Station – and transform it into a new urban hub.

The company’s proposals for the site – which will be called The Goods Yard – include 180 new homes, a 150-bed hotel, 25,000 sq ft of workspace and 10,000 sq ft of retail and leisure space.

There will also be a restaurant and bar and a water taxi service which would help to transport passengers to the bet365 stadium.

Capital & Centric co-founder Tim Heatley, who spoke at a webinar hosted by Make It Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire, said: “We are a social impact property developer and that means that we want to do things that leave a positive impact on the community and the place and the space that we develop.

“That includes converting, restoring and re-purposing beautiful old buildings and creating high quality, long lasting jobs by attracting great businesses to our developments.

“Our aspirations for Stoke-on-Trent and The Goods Yard came about from conversations we’ve had with Councillor Abi Brown and her team around what the ambitions were for the city.

“We had a lot of shared vision and shared ideas about wanting to change the perception of the location and tell people how great the area is, and sometimes one of the only ways you can do that is by showing them.”

Under the proposals, the Swift House building would be demolished but its locally-listed basement would be transformed into a workspace and leisure venue called Vaults Warehouse.

The new CGI images which have been revealed show how the site could look. However it is likely that the artist impressions will change following public consultation and ahead of a planning application being submitted later this year.



CGI images of The Goods Yards development in Stoke
CGI images of The Goods Yards development in Stoke

Tim added: “The great thing for me about Stoke-on-Trent is the existing building fabric. It’s a post-industrial city which has meant that there’s lots of beautiful and iconic buildings that remain.

“So the architecture will be bold and it won’t be to everybody’s taste, but we’re not trying to do a vanilla scheme that doesn’t offend or impress anybody.

“We are there to do something that really shouts about the history of Stoke-on-Trent and celebrates its industrial past.

“We want it to be iconic when people drive past and make people stop and stare.

“Stoke-on-Trent is on a fantastic trajectory as a city. Only a couple of years ago the city was at a low point and was absolutely in need of regeneration and that’s happening now and the future is really bright.”

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It is hoped that work could start on site as early as next summer subject to planning approval from Stoke-on-Trent City Council.

City council leader Abi Brown said: “I was absolutely delighted earlier this year to announce that Capital & Centric will be taking their very first steps out of the North and into the Midlands and the small but mighty Stoke-on-Trent.

“I know that we are the envy of a great many places having secured Capital & Centric here and I am absolutely delighted to see the proposals continue to emerge around the Goods Yard.”