Plans to demolish part of the disused Crispin Shopping Centre in Street, Somerset, have been approved, paving the way for a new retirement housing development. Established in 1979, the centre has declined significantly since the closure of the village’s Tesco Metro store.
Churchill Retirement Living gained permission in May 2025, following a public inquiry, to replace the shopping centre with a retirement community consisting of 45 extra care apartments and 11 retirement cottages. The site’s current owners, Aberdare Estates Ltd, sought approval in November 2025 to remove the shopping centre’s entrance canopy, a necessary first step before major construction can start by mid-2026.
Somerset Council has now greenlit the canopy removal, which will happen within weeks, with wider demolition plans expected soon after. This redevelopment site is one of nine earmarked for new housing under the council’s Mendip Local Plan Part II, adopted in September 2025.
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Churchill’s proposed development includes a three-storey, L-shaped apartment block complemented by two cottage blocks on the northern and eastern edges. Access points will include Leigh Road, featuring a pedestrian entrance near the library, while the existing High Street pedestrian access will primarily serve as a service entrance. The community will include a central car park with 21 spaces and landscaped buffers separating it from the adjacent Southside council car park on Vestry Road.
Located within the Street conservation area, the site features a Grade II listed mural, which will be preserved during redevelopment. Chris Hays of Sycha Development Planning, representing the applicant, noted that removing the entrance canopy will improve the street’s appearance without harming the heritage value of the site. He described the canopy as a redundant, modern addition that fails to contribute positively to the conservation area’s traditional character.
The council officers approved the plans under delegated powers rather than a full planning committee decision. Deputy Leader Liz Leyshon, whose division includes the site, expressed strong support for removing the outdated signage and canopy, citing that leaving them in place was misleading given the centre’s closure.
She said: “The removal of the signage, which no longer reflects the reality since the shops have been closed for some time, is something I completely support.”