Multi-million pound revamp for a Peterborough's Serpentine Green shopping centre

The £5 million venture is intended to transform the appearance of the 319,000 sq ft centre in The Serpentine, Hampton, and provide extra selling space for some retailers.

Construction work at the centre, which attracts some 5.5 million visitors each year, should start soon and be completed in about a year.

The venture involves creating an extension to the existing unit 20 and the installation of a mezzanine floor.

In addition, the scheme envisages extensions to the north-east, units 18 and 20, to create new retail and cafe/restaurant units.

The new units will have frontages on to a new area of public realm with changes to the access route to the centre plus alterations to the car park.

Fashion chain Next will move from unit 20 to one of the new units, which will also have a mezzanine floor.

Although the plans have been approved by Peterborough City Council, developers are currently seeking the go ahead for other minor changes.

David Wait, centre manager, said: “This is an exciting new project which will really enhance the look and feel of Serpentine Green even further.

“The £5 million improvement works will commence soon and are expected to complete in spring 2017.

“We value all feedback we receive and are in negotiation with a number of exciting retailers our customers have said they’d like to see at the shopping centre, complementing our already great line up of retailers which includes Outfit, Next and H&M.”

James Owens, agent for the applicant British Land, said: “We have submitted a section 96a application that just tinkers with the permitted floor space. The aim is to adapt Serpentine Green as little has changed for years and we need to meet the new needs of retailers. We hope to make an inward looking centre more outward looking with improvements to the open area.”