Aviva Capital Partners (ACP), Aviva鈥檚 division that invests in urban regeneration, housing and infrastructure has agreed a partnership with Norwich City Council (NCC) have agreed a 拢350m redevelopment of an old shopping centre near Norwich city centre.
The partnership will take on the redevelopment of the 11 acre site of a 1960s former shopping centre, Anglia Square, delivering 1,100 new homes, with a mixture of affordable homes and homes to buy.
The site, which has been partially empty since Her Majesty鈥檚 Stationery Office left Sovereign House in 1996, will also become home to leisure and retail spaces and community facilities.
Demolition and remediation is set to start imminently, the council said.
The scheme was originally promoted by Weston Homes, but after an eight-year planning battle and just a month before demolition of the old shopping centre had been scheduled to begin, Weston walked away in February 2024, citing 鈥渋nsurmountable headwinds鈥�. [See previous report here.]
A 拢34m grant from Homes England enabled the city council to purchase the site in December 2024.
Councillor Mike Stonard, leader of Norwich City Council, hailed the partnership as a monumental moment in the city鈥檚 history, saying: 鈥淚 believe our partnership with Aviva, which has called Norwich home since 1792, will come to be seen as an historical partnership in one of England鈥檚 most historic cities. The partnership will turbo charge the city鈥檚 economy and support our ambition to make Norwich one of England鈥檚 finest and fairest cities.鈥�
Aviva Capital Partners chair Ben Luckett said: 鈥淎viva is proud to be making such a major investment in Norwich, a city which has been our home for over 200 years. This vital regeneration project will bring significant economic and social benefits, helping Norwich get ready for the future. By working with Norwich City Council and Homes England, this will be a development the city can be proud of.鈥�
A planning application to create a 鈥榖ox style鈥� shopping park with temporary shops and food stalls at the site has been submitted, giving existing traders spaces while the redevelopment takes place.
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