Weston's Sovereign Shopping Centre is to get a new lease of life with plans to re-purpose the building.

Following the coronavirus pandemic, changing lifestyles and the increase of online shopping has had an irreversible effect on town centres and how they are used.

North Somerset Council is responding to those changes to cement the future of the Sovereign Centre by creating a new plan for the building.

The new vision and business plan have been created to deliver the ambitions of the newly adopted Weston Placemaking Strategy and to promote community-led growth.

The business plan will include meeting the increased demand for workspace for creative, maker, engineering and desk-based uses; utilising outdoors space for young people, families and children by using outdoor and underutilised spaces including the building’s roof; changing the name of the store, working with the local community to create a name that speaks to people, visitors and businesses and repurposing unused spaces to support the growing independent retail offer which is unique to Weston.

Weston Mercury: Conceptual designs of the Sovereign Shopping Centre.Conceptual designs of the Sovereign Shopping Centre. (Image: North Somerset Council)

Town centre manager Steve Townsend said the plan is 'a clever use of the space'.

He told the Mercury: "It looks good and is very aspirational for the town centre.

"Anything that might bring some extra footfall post Covid will be a really good thing, this will be a good use for the centre.

"The Sovereign Centre is owned by the council so it can affect change in it, so this is a clever use of the space going forward."

Should the proposal be approved, a commissioning plan for the appointment of consultants and contractors to undertake the works will be put out to tender shortly.

The first phase of the vision will be funded by the £1.7milion Getting Building Fund awarded to the council in 2020 from the West of England Combined Authority.

Any subsequent phases will be funded by a £65,000 grant from the Department of Transport Access Grant.

Cllr Mark Canniford, executive member for business, economy and employment at North Somerset Council, said: “Transforming the Sovereign Centre and the role it plays in Weston is at the heart of this new plan.

"Repurposing vacant and underused spaces and utilising Weston's assets is key in attracting investment and footfall to the town centre throughout the week and across the years.

"We're responding to a very different demand for town centres and we need to offer somewhere to work, visit, live and enjoy to cement the use of this building for years to come."