Flats may be created in 'ghost town' shopping centre

A plan for Carillon Court is being drawn up and is expected to be sent to planners "in the coming weeks"

The owners of a Leicestershire town's shopping precinct hope to submit a planning application to convert part of the centre into student accommodation "in the coming weeks".

Carillon Court in Loughborough has seen a number of store closures, with empty units now outnumbering those with traders by almost two to one.

Leicester Commercial Ltd has said to keep the site "viable", it plans a £70m redevelopment to turn part of the site into housing.

It said "a significant part" of Carillon Court, branded a "ghost town", would be retained for retail in the proposals.

A statement said the centre - which also includes a 340-space public car park - was bought from administrators in 2021 as the previous owners were operating the site between Market Place and Market Street "at a loss".

It said: "In the current climate and with high street stores closing or consolidating in every city, to keep the centre viable the number of commercial units would need to be reduced.

"Reducing the number of units will create a more pleasant shopping experience rather than empty boarded-up shops."

Leicester Commercial Ltd added it hoped the creation of purpose-built student accommodation would "draw students out of traditional terraced housing".

Boarded up shops dominate the centre

Charnwood Borough Council said any application would be dealt with according to planning policy.

A council spokesperson added: "No-one wants to see empty units in a town centre and concerns about vacant units at the site have been communicated to the landowner.

"We would hope the owners of the site will be in a position to outline their plans for the future of the centre in the not-too-distant future."

Most of the remaining stores are at the end of the centre facing on to the Market Place

The situation inside Carillon Court has not gone unnoticed by shoppers.

Shepshed resident Tracey Hounsome, 62, was so upset at its "sad and sorry state" she started a petition for the centre not to be lost.

She said: "It was the hub of our community. There were no vacant units and people used to use the shops in there.

"It's a sad state to see everywhere shutting down.

"The population is growing and yet you go into Loughborough and there's no shops there.

"I started the petition and the reaction's been really positive, getting people talking.

"Maybe we can change the future of Carillon Court by coming together as a community."

Shoppers said the centre was a far cry from its heyday before the pandemic

Others in the town on Friday echoed her concerns.

Sarah Hampson, 56, of Nottingham, said: "It's a bit soul destroying.

"I came into Loughborough as you know exactly what you can get here and I had a really good experience in Card Factory.

"But the shopping centre is just not what it was."

Roy Tivey, 83, of Whitwick, said: "They say it's going to be student accommodation.

"The people that live around here are not very happy with that."

Some said the centre these days was "a ghost town"

Roy Penney, 71, of Loughborough, added: "I remember it being built, I worked nearby at Currys at the time.

"I remember you had a butcher's shop there before, and the Green Man pub that's still underneath.

"When it opened it was pretty busy, if you were after something you could find it.

"I don't often cut through now, it's like a ghost town.

"People are saying it's going to be made into student lets. I don't have anything against students, but not in the middle of town, it will put people off coming in."