Dominus, a developer specialising in urban renewal, has submitted plans for a major redevelopment of a retail centre and surrounding area in the heart of Essex.

The developer has ambitions to breathe new life into the heart of Chelmsford city centre, creating a new 365-day-a-year destination and revitalising the 3.5-hectare site with a mixed use scheme.

Plans include over 8,500 square metre of retail, commercial and leisure space with potential to create nearly 400 full-time jobs. This is complemented by up to 762 new homes, creating a residential neighbourhood within the city centre.

Dominus says the area would benefit from a renewed sense of place, supported by a heritage-inspired design and nearly 1.7 hectares of high-quality public space.

The transformed development would complement the retail offer of the City Centre, strengthen the southern end of the High Street, and create a new riverside destination to help boost the city’s daytime and nighttime economy. Improved pedestrian routes have been proposed, to create a more connected and walkable community, enriching the overall urban experience and offering increased opportunity for social interaction.
 
The developer says: “Visually, local heritage would be reflected with a curated palette of materials referencing the site’s history and defining relationship with water, being at the confluence of the River Can and River Chelmer. This reimagined heart of Chelmsford serves to celebrate and transform the riverside, creating an animated link between the banks and enhancing existing biodiversity with more green space.”

This vision for the site has been informed by consultation with the local community and stakeholders over the past eight months, including four days of events, in-person meetings, letters, and digital media. The consultation programme reached 1,700 local people, with 5,400 newsletters delivered and 6,900 visits to the dedicated project website.
 
Tristram Taylor, development manager at Dominus, says: “By working collaboratively with Chelmsford City Council, we have created a vision for a distinctive destination, not just buildings, within which residents and visitors can enjoy. Our vision would transform The Meadows into a thriving riverside quarter fit for a growing and ambitious city like Chelmsford.

“We have worked with the community to understand local priorities, crafting a future for the site as rich as its heritage, one that nurtures local initiatives, brings housing back into the city, supports its economic potential, and delivers long-term positive impact for both Chelmsford and its people.”

A hybrid planning application has been submitted. A detailed application accounts for the intention to replace existing buildings with new retail, commercial and community space, curated public realm, a temporary mobility hub and 537 homes.

The outline planning application includes a further 225 new homes, new retail and/or commercial and/or community space and new public realm at the south-east of the site.