Decision on precinct's future as part of £20m plan
A decision on plans to knock down a town's shopping precinct is expected to be made as part of a £20m project.
Stockton council leaders are meeting on Monday to discuss plans to buy the "underused" Billingham's West Precinct from owners Evolve Estates and move the current businesses.
Proposals on the table would see the buildings demolished to make way for new homes, shops, improved parking and public toilets, using £20m of government levelling up money.
Resident Janet Lamb, 71, said a redevelopment would be "great" because "nothing’s happening to it the way it is, it’s all run down".
She was born in Billingham and used to work in one of the affected buildings.
"We’ve never had so many empty shops - it’s such a shame," she told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
Janet Havert, 68, from Norton, said she always used the West Precinct shops because of the free parking and she would like to see the place get a "facelift".
"I’ve slowly watched it over the last five years decline. It needs a facelift, something under-cover, something like Hartlepool, it would encourage more people to come here," she added.
"I totally think that’s the way forward. It would be nice to see some shops and redevelopment and bring it back to life."
With sensitive and confidential negotiations in the background involving the owners, council and retailers, the fate of the town centre has been the subject of much speculation, reports the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
Savers' store manager Paul Hunt said with plans yet to be finalised, he felt shopkeepers were "left in the dark a bit".
He said: "Places know where they’re going but nothing’s been finalised. They do try and keep us updated when major things happen."
Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council, where no political party has overall control, previously said it would only go ahead with the demolition once all the affected tenants in West Precinct had found alternative premises.
Helen Winspear, is a project manager of the Billingham & Stockton Borough Foodbank.
She said she was concerned about where they might be moved to, as nothing has yet been officially decided.
Their service helps people in short-term crisis by providing food and supporting people with financial advice to pay off debts.
"We see that many people coming in, we’ve got a need for the local area. We have together with Stockton the largest number of people using us for food parcels," she said.
"We need time to be able to box everything up. We’d have to downsize, we’re aware of that. There’s all that added cost we’d have to figure out."
She added: "I suppose for us the main concern is that we’ve got enough time to do that, and get the message out to people to know where to go."
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