Unanimous nod for Catterick regen scheme
With demolition under way and expected to be complete by December this year, North Yorkshire Council has given its backing for the project to proceed despite delays.
The improvement of Catterick Garrison town centre was allocated £19m from the Conservative government’s Levelling Up Fund programme, and progress on the project was reported to North Yorkshire Council’s executive yesterday, 5 November.
Core elements of the scheme include the creation of a new 20,000 sq ft town square with a community hub; upgrades to Coronation Park, including a new playground, walking routes, and a community garden area; and associated infrastructure, such as pedestrian crossing improvements, ground source heat pumps under the town square, more parking spaces, and pedestrian links.
Wilmott Dixon was appointed as the contractor on the project in August, and has been working with Align in finalising the design and providing costs for the scheme. This stage is expected to be ready by this December, which will coincide with the completion of the demolition of four buildings.
The estimated construction contract price is £14.9m, with a contingency of £2m. This will come from the £19m Levelling Up Fund grant, allocated to the project in May 2023.
The mixed-use community hub will be a 13,500 sq ft, three storey building with rentable office space on the second floor, community spaces on the first floor, and F&B kiosks and seating on the ground floor. This 3,000 sq ft ground floor space will have a double height glass pavilion, and outside will have a 6,500 sq ft outdoor seating and retail area.
Despite suffering some delays, the project is still deliverable within the original Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government timescales that were attached as a condition to the LUF, of March 2026. To achieve this, the council is keen to ensure work can start in January 2025.
By transforming Shute Road into an ‘attractive, vibrant, and inclusive’ space via a new town square with a community centre, the council hopes to improve the town for residents.
Cllr Kevin Foster said at the meeting: “I think it’s a great thing to happen for the people of Catterick Garrison. It’s been talked about, regeneration in the area, for 20 years. I don’t think [residents] quite believe it’s going to go on, they’re saying it won’t happen, but this is telling me it’s a long way down the road now and it is going to happen. I think it’s a great thing; we’re lucky to have it.”
