End of the road for iconic Mansfield shopping centre with demolition set to be approved

The current building has been in place since the 1950s and was once a busy retail hub on the edge of the town centre.

However, developers plan to knock the Walkden Street building down and replace it with two retail units – including a Lidl – and a food and drink takeaway unit.

Developer Peveril Securities, which owns the site, says the location is still used for retail, but its upper storeys are now empty.

It was once home to the town’s Argos store among other units, before most closed or relocated to other sides.

Frozen food outlet Iceland remains one of the only businesses still occupying space in the iconic building.

However, Mansfield Council could allow the developer to give the land a new lease of life at its next planning committee meeting.

Papers reveal the entire three-storey building would be demolished to make way for three smaller buildings and a 150-space car park – with council officers recommending the scheme is given the go-ahead..

And the authority says the prospect of a Lidl store in this location could “significantly improve the performance of the town centre”.

The council said: “The application site is considered to be appropriately located, immediately adjacent to the Four Seasons Shopping Centre, within walking distance of the retail core of the town centre, the bus and railway stations and extensive public car parks.”

When putting the plans forward in 2021, the applicant said it plans to “completely” redevelop the key town centre site.

It said: “The Rosemary Centre building has been in place for circa 70 years and has reached the end of its natural life.

“Together with its associated car park lying to the rear, feeding onto Union Street, it is intended to be completely redeveloped.”

If approved, papers say a new main access point would be created off Walkden Street, with a secondary exit to be created through the existing entrance on Union Street.

A new service access for the retail units would also be created on Union Street, papers add.

Five letters of objection were lodged over the plans with concerns about harm to the nearby town centre conservation area.

Others feared the new development would not be of “architectural merit” and believed the building should be reused.

However, the authority believes the economic benefits of the plans “outweigh the harm” of the scheme.

Councillors will be recommended to green-light the plans on April 24.

It comes as part of the wider redevelopment of this area of the town and follows the approval of a 100-bed hotel and three food units at the opposite former bus station.

The three food units – which opened last year – include a Domino’s Pizza outlet and Taco Bell and Tim Horton’s drive-thru outlets.

Further progress on the hotel – including the chain due to take it on – is expected in the coming months.