Former Tesco car park update issued in Chippenham plans

Acorn Property Group, the owners of Emery Gate Shopping Centre in Chippenham, recently launched a second consultation on proposals to partially redevelop the site.

The latest plans for the centre include the creation of 225 homes and the reorganisation of the retail offering to include 3,500sq metres of replacement retail, food, and leisure uses.

The developer has also given an update on plans for the future of the car park which previously served Tesco’s Chippenham superstore and continues to provide access to Emery Gate.

A new site plan appears to show that the current proposal for the area will replace the existing overground car park with a new quarter combining residential buildings and other features.

Acorn says it is committed to providing accessible parking for both the commercial and residential components of the development.

READ MORE: More details emerge on Emery Gate Chippenham transformation

The underground car park at Emery Gate (Image: Acorn Property Group) This will include around 300 car parking spaces, EV charging, and 350 cycle spaces for both residents and visitors.

Acorn says it will retain a “safer and more secure” underground car park with spaces for both residential and commercial use.

But, the developer is keen to balance providing parking spaces with encouraging different travel options, including cycling and public transport.

Speaking at a presentation to town councillors, Lauren Stoves, from Lambert Smith Hampton which is acting as a planning consultant on the development, argued parking around Chippenham is currently underutilised.

She said: “We knew from the offset this would be a sensitive area and it was something we discussed a lot with residents and members of the community.

“We’ve undertaken extensive surveys already which showed that actually the utilisation of the existing car parks around Chippenham is surprisingly low.

The underground car park at Emery Gate (Image: Acorn Property Group) “Whilst we are still committed to delivering car parking on the site, we’re also looking at enhancing those sustainable travel options.

“It’s getting that balance right between providing parking where it’s needed but also acknowledging there are other car parks around Chippenham that cater for that need that should be utilised possibly better.”

Acorn says studies of the existing Emery Gate Car Park show over 50 per cent of the spaces are not used.

It added that it is continuing to analyse car parking capacity around the town, alongside Wiltshire Council, with these surveys informing the parking strategy moving forward.