New roof next phase of £5.5m shopping centre revamp

The second phase of a £5.5m shopping centre makeover will include replacing the roof to make it more energy efficient.

Work on Kings Chase in Kingswood is part of a town centre regeneration scheme by South Gloucestershire Council.

A total of £1.4m has already been invested into making improvements, including upgrading cladding, steps and planters.

Councillor Sean Rhodes, cabinet member at South Gloucestershire Council, said the authority had "invested very heavily" in Kingswood as it is recognised as one of the council's "priority neighbourhoods".

Sean Rhodes said the council had "invested very heavily" in Kingswood

Kings Chase opened 50 years ago and in May 2021, South Gloucestershire Council bought it for £10m, and at the time spoke of proposed redevelopment plans for new homes and leisure venues alongside existing shops.

But Rhodes said that building a leisure centre and pedestrianisation of the centre of Kingswood "were only ever ideas".

On a leisure facility, he added: "There just isn't the space for it and the building isn't designed to take that kind of change to the infrastructure."

The next phase of work on the centre, which will include replacing the roof and shop facades on Regent Street, is expected to begin next year and be completed by the end of 2027.

Tiny Town Play Cafe is due to open in the shopping centre later this month

Tiny Town Play Cafe is set to open in the centre later this month and will be run by two Bristol mums.

Mother-of-three Kerry Howells and Cherisse Stallard, a mum of one, have a background in childcare.

Ms Stallard said the pair chose Kingswood because the area is in "desperate need for something for parents and children to do".

She added: "Eventually we want to become a real community hub for families."

The shopping centre investment is taking place alongside a three-year redevelopment project at Kingswood Park which is expected to cost £3.3m.