THE major redevelopment of the Northgate site in the centre of Bridgwater has taken another step forward with the appointment of a Design Team this week.

The scheme will include a multi-screen cinema, restaurants, a gym and car parking, while open space on the Brewery Field will be improved to include a park suitable for use all year round to complement the new facilities.

The scheme will also include outside dining areas, places to meet and socialise and create a strong link from the docks area through Brewery Field and to the town centre.

It is hoped the multi-million pound scheme will help regenerate the town centre.

The Design Team hired by Sedgemoor District Council included Corstorphine and Wright Ltd as architects, who will be supported by Aecom Consulting and Enborne Consulting.

Montagu Evans, as managing agents, are already advising the council.

At the beginning of 2018 Sedgemoor District Council determined to self-fund and develop the project and have subsequently been developing the concept.

This will be the third phase of the Northgate development following the successful implementation of the new Northgate Primary School by Somerset County Council and the new Blake Car Park by Sedgemoor.

Montagu Evans, as managing agents for the scheme have reported significant interest from potential occupiers for the cinema and restaurants providing assurance that the scheme can move forward with a high degree of confidence.

The project team will be submitting a planning application in the first quarter of 2019 and will then be looking to appoint a contractor during the summer with a fully costed and detailed design.

There is plenty going on already at the Northgate site, with Northgate Primary School having opened in September 2017, and now Aldi looking to relocate from its current site in Eastover.

Aldi wants to move onto the former Bridgwater Enterprise Centre plot, saying the Eastover store is smaller than its modern stores and offers limited parking.

The plans indicate that the existing Aldi store would closed the day before the new store would open, allowing existing staff to migrate across seamlessly.

The new store will cover approximately 1,680 square feet and will have 100 parking spaces.

It will be accessed via the new road shared with Northgate Primary School.