A major funder is prepared to back a bid to bring Evesham’s Riverside Shopping Centre into public ownership.
Wychavon has reached an ‘agreement in principle’ with the funder, which is not being named at this point due to commercial confidentiality. A formal decision is expected this summer.
If the deal is given the green light, then councillors could be asked to make a decision on buying the centre by the end of this year, with a view to completing the sale by the end of March 2026 at the latest.
The deal would also see Wychavon take on the ownership of properties in Market Square and any other units the current owner has an interest in. Existing businesses would continue to trade.
Detailed discussions about how to regenerate the site won’t begin until a sale is completed. But the centre will likely be demolished and replaced with a mixed-use development, including housing and leisure businesses.
Cllr Richard Morris, Leader of Wychavon District Council, said: “We promised in our We Are Wychavon Plan we would bring the Riverside back into public ownership, and we’re excited to be one step closer to achieving that ambition.
“As always, nothing is agreed until it’s agreed, and plenty of things could still go wrong before we get this deal over the line.
“But we want to be as open as we can with residents to show, as promised, real progress is being made behind the scenes.
“Regenerating this site will be key to our strategic aim of delivering the vision in the Evesham Town Centre Prospectus to ensure we embrace Evesham’s assets, so it continues to thrive into the future.”
Find out more about Wychavon’s vision for the future of the district’s town centres.
