Plans have emerged to demolish the Castle Place shopping centre and the adjacent St Stephen’s multi-storey car park in Trowbridge, paving the way for a new development featuring homes and leisure amenities.
Constructed in 1973, the 446-space multi-storey car park was designed with a 50-year lifespan. Its ownership was historically tied by a 1974 covenant between West Wilts District Council (now Wiltshire Council) and the shopping centre owner, restricting major developments without legal risk.
After a structural engineer’s report highlighted the car park’s deteriorating condition, the council commenced essential repairs to ensure it can reopen in January 2026. However, maintaining the facility long-term would be prohibitively expensive.
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In a recent cabinet meeting, Wiltshire Council approved transferring the car park’s freehold to Tahir Ali, owner of Castle Place Shopping Centre. This transfer consolidates ownership and releases the council from its covenant obligations and financial liabilities.
Leaked briefing papers revealed that payments up to £2.5 million could be made to the developer, tied to milestone achievements in the redevelopment process. Various other options—such as doing nothing, permanent closure, rebuilding, or legally challenging the covenant—were explored but deemed financially unfeasible.
Tahir Ali confirmed plans to demolish and redevelop both the car park and shopping centre. His vision includes revitalizing the former Wetherspoons building, a Grade II listed structure, as part of a vibrant mixed-use development. This would likely prioritize mostly residential spaces with ground-floor leisure facilities like bowling alleys, subject to planning approval.
Council leader Cllr Ian Thorn acknowledged the complexity of the situation: “We recognize strong public feeling, but after detailed analysis, transferring the freehold represents the best way forward for Trowbridge and its residents.” He emphasized that the council’s current financial responsibility for the aging car park, without any parking revenue, is unsustainable.
Demolition costs are estimated between £1.4 million and £1.6 million. Transferring ownership removes the council’s obligation to maintain a facility that has long been a financial burden.
The redevelopment aligns with the Trowbridge Masterplan, which envisions linking the town centre with St Stephen’s Place more effectively and encouraging increased foot traffic to local amenities such as the People’s Park.
While the transfer deal includes milestone-based payments tied to development progress, reports acknowledge a risk the developer might not deliver the comprehensive scheme as proposed. The council and community await further scrutiny on October 16, where officials will explain the rationale behind their decisions amid local concerns.
The Conservative group expressed worry over the confidential nature of negotiations and questioned the logic of costly repairs before handing the site to a developer with added financial incentives.
Ultimately, the car park’s ownership transfer is viewed as a positive step toward removing a longstanding liability and enabling regeneration of a key town gateway.