LOFTUS HIGH STREET

Over £11 million of funding to help implement ambitious plans to transform Loftus High Street has been secured.

As a council, we have developed a series of exciting proposals to regenerate and improve your high street. Our vision is to transform Loftus into a modern market town with facilities and attractions for residents and a memorable destination for visitors. We want to celebrate the town’s unique heritage and landscape and bring a year-round programme of events to the area. Under our proposals, the town could become a vibrant hub for independent retail and entertainment for people of all ages.

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Zetland/West Road Improvements

  • Objective Connect Loftus
  • Status Ongoing
  • Completion 2024

Removal of overhead cables (Zetland Road) with a below ground solution will enable major highway improvements to West Road Junction.

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Handale Car Park

  • Objective Connect Loftus
  • Status Past
  • Completion Complete

New car park to be created next to Handale school to provide much needed car parking spaces.

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Temperance Square

  • Objective Work Loftus
  • Status Ongoing
  • Completion 2024

The new contemporary square with a new Skills and Training Hub facility is part of a range of improvements to the busy junction and footpaths, to open up the area and provide some space

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United Reformed Church

  • Objective Visit Loftus
  • Status Ongoing
  • Completion 2024

To be restored into a creative and cultural hub, including a exhibition space and some rentable workspace.

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Zetland Road Heritage Scheme

  • Objective Work Loftus
  • Status Ongoing
  • Completion 2024

To preserve and enhance the historic fabric of the buildings on Zetland Road and the High Street. This will make Loftus a more attractive place for residents, businesses and visitors.

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Duncan Place & Coronation Park

  • Objective Visit Loftus
  • Status Ongoing
  • Completion 2023 – 2024

To create a new library and community hub and to open up the building to the park and high street. The new extension on the existing building will enable the library to integrate more into a wide variety of existing community groups. Coronation Park is also set for significant investment to create an improved and attractive park for both local residents and visitors to the town.

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Existing Library Site

  • Objective Visit Loftus
  • Status Future
  • Completion 2024

Existing library building demolished and re-provided at Duncan Place. New visitor car park for the town

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Lighting up Loftus Town Hall

  • Objective Visit Loftus
  • Status Complete
  • Completion 2023

Phase 1 to light up Loftus as a precurser to lighting up other areas of East Cleveland, as funds permit.

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Market Place

  • Objective Visit Loftus
  • Status Ongoing
  • Completion 2023

Proposals include making the marketplace more flexible for events by removing and relocating some of the street furniture and signage.

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Barclays Bank

  • Objective Visit Loftus
  • Status Complete
  • Completion 2022

To be restored and converted into a commercial hub with some retail opportunities and visitor accommodation above.

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Arlington Chapel

  • Objective Live Loftus
  • Status Future
  • Completion 2023

Acquisition and remediation of the Arlington Chapel site

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Arlington Highway Improvements

  • Objective Connect Loftus
  • Status Complete
  • Completion 2023

Following observations about the speed of passing traffic at this location, new speed control measures are to be introduced from Arlington Street, through the Market Place to West Road to improve road safety and improve the visitor experience to the High Street

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Zetland/West Road Improvements


Themes


















UPDATES









⚠ Roadworks required in Loftus





Following completion of the Northern PowerGrid works to remove the final overhead cables, as part of the planned improvement works to Zetland Road and West Road, new surfacing of the road and footways, installation of new kerbs and a layby outside Morrison’s is to be carried out.   





These works, which started in November 2023 and last approximately 12 weeks; including 6 weeks of works before the Christmas week and then 6 weeks afterwards.  





Whist we do not anticipate temporary traffic lights on the scale previously seen at this location during the works undertaken by Northern PowerGrid, this scheme will require the return of traffic management, to ensure the works are progressed in a safe manner for both the public and the construction workers.  





The works will be carried out by the Council’s Highways Construction Team and the aim is to undertake the improvements efficiently but safely during the programme.  This is then the last of the highway improvement works identified within the Loftus Regeneration Masterplan.





The aim is to improve the high street for the benefit of both local people and visitors into Loftus.











What will it deliver?






  • 3000m2 Highway improvements




  • Northern PowerGrid electricity cables infrastructure enhancements


Handale Car Park


Themes














UPDATES





  • Car Park now open, please use it
  • Scheme total £275,000




What will it deliver?





  • 30 car parking spaces
  • 2 disabled spaces
  • 2 E-charge points





Temperance Square


Themes


















UPDATES









Construction of a new public square and Skill & Training facility on the corner of West Road and Station Road, known locally as Temperance Square is to start early in the New Year, following demolition of the previous structures.





This project will enhance the public realm, open up views as well as provide a skills centre in a well connected location. The adjacent historic buildings offer a rich environment to respond to.





The steep slope across the site requires retaining walls and makes the structures more complex to build, but does offer opportunities for a more dynamic landscape.





Sustainability has been as the heart of these design proposals with consideration given to use of low carbon materials, low energy use, generation of power on site with use of solar panels, for example, along with use of sandstone material found around Loftus.





Aerial view of the proposed site










What will it deliver?






  • Creation of a Education centre




  • High quality outdoor ‘green space’ with biodiversity benefits




  • 7 parking spaces


United Reformed Church


Themes









UPDATES





Construction works started






  • This full refurbishment of this historic structure and transformation into creative artist studios has commenced.




  • This follows the first phase work work, completed in the Summer to make the building structurally safe and watertight.




  • The side road between Floralcraft and West Road Fish & Chips is to be temporarily closed to facilitate these works. It will remain open to pedestrians and local residents will be contacted regarding ongoing accessibility.




  • Loftus Studios Community Interest Company is the group planning to run the former United Reformed Church as a Cultural and Arts Hub, when the renovations are completed









What will it deliver?






  • Restoration of the historic building




  • Creation of creative workspace space




  • 1 business created




  • 4 jobs created


Zetland Road Heritage Scheme


Themes









UPDATES





We are now inviting expressions of interest for the Zetland Road Heritage Grant Scheme.





The grant scheme focuses on commercial properties in Zetland Road and West Road and is aimed at reinstating heritage in line with conservation management.





Funding will be available for:






  1. Full shop facades and/or upper floor restorations.




  2. External (Façade) decoration




  3. Light touch improvements such as removal of shutters (or uplift works if shutters cannot be removed)





*Required work will be identified through discussion with the Place Development & Investment Team.





To express on interest or for further information on the scheme, please contact placeinvestment@redcar-cleveland.gov.uk













What will it deliver?






  • Numerous businesses assisted


Duncan Place & Coronation Park


Themes


















DUNCAN PLACE UPDATES






  • £2.2M of externally funded grants as part of the Loftus Regeneration Masterplan




  • WB Construction Ltd – a local Teesside based company – were awarded the main construction contract.




  • Works started at the beginning of September 2022 and completed in August 2023.




  • The new facility now accommodates the new Loftus Library, Loftus Family Hub, and Youth & Community Services all under one roof.




  • Access is to continue from the A174 up Duncan Place until the car park in Coronation Park is completed in March 2024 – please park at other Loftus car parks if possible during this period.





CORONATION PARK UPDATES






  • A £1.2M external funded scheme as part of the Loftus Regeneration Masterplan.




  • Works to improve the park started in April 2023 with a target completion of early March 2024.




  • Local Teesside company Seymour’s Civil Engineering were awarded the main construction contract




  • The project will plant 18 new semi-mature trees as well as new shrubs, herbaceous planting, rejuvenated rose beds and floral wildflower mix to improve biodiversity




  • The park will provide a powered events space for shows and markets




  • A new and large solid stone stepped area will come straight off the high-street, up stone masons bank, and access the park and Duncan Place from a totally new connection




  • A projector wall on stone masons bank will beam light shows and cultural information




  • A new memorial area in the park is to be built and all existing plaques relocated to a quiet seating area, with a new plaque dedicated to King Charles III




  • New benches, lights, and fencing will be provided to improve the visitor experience




  • A large level accessible pedestrian footpath boulevard is to be built linking the new 17 bay car park to Duncan Place and is intended to be the main public parking for that facility once opened in early 2024





What will it deliver?





Improved community services within one community hub, a new Loftus Library, a new community hall, a revitalised Park with events capability.










Existing Library Site


Themes














UPDATES






  • Northeast company MGL Group started demolition of the old library building in September 2023.




  • The aim is to complete the demolition works by December 2023.




  • An application for a 30-space visitor car park is currently going through the planning process.




  • Build out of the new visitor car park to be constructed by the Council’s Highways Construction Team in early 2024.


Lighting up Loftus Town Hall


Themes














UPDATES






  • Architectural lighting has been installed to showcase the Town Hall. The lighting is to be turned on during the festive period 2023.




  • This project has also seen the Loftus Old Bank architecturally uplit, and the Former United Reformed Church is to follow in 2024.





What will it deliver?






  • 3 Heritage buildings lit






Market Place


Themes


















UPDATES





The improvement works are nearing completion





⚠ Roadworks required in Loftus





As part of the planned, new surfacing of the road and parking bays between the Golden Lion Hotel and The White Horse Inn will be carried out.    This means there will be an overnight road closure on 8th, 9th and potentially 10th November, between 9pm and 5am. (Please note this has changed from the 7-9th Nov as advised in letters to Loftus residents early last week).  





We have agreed that buses and emergency vehicles can be escorted through the works, and the late evening and early morning bus services will remain in use.   The closure will be for all other road users, including residents, and a diversion will be put in place. This is required to complete the work in accordance with safe practices.  The below diversion will be put in place.









We appreciate there has been a lot of disruption recently and we apologise that these works may inconvenience you further. We ask for your patience, and we will aim to get the resurfacing carried out as quickly as possible and the removed swiftly





What will it deliver?






  • 9 new parking spaces created




  • Streetscape improvements




  • Public Realm improvements




  • Event Infrastructure






Barclays Bank


Themes














UPDATES




  • The restoration of the former Bank is now complete, and the building will officially open in November 2022.
  • The top two floors of the Grade II listed building will be home to East Cleveland business Odd Socks, which will offer visitor accommodation
  • The ground floor will be a commercial retail unit, with a new tenant due to open their business in December. More news to follow.








What will it deliver?





  • 16 new bed spaces
  • 2 businesses created
  • 74m2 retail space created

Arlington Chapel


Themes


















UPDATES





THE FORMER Arlington Chapel and School House have been demolished. The next stage of works are for permanent retaining buttresses to be built against neighbouring gable walls. These could not be fully designed until the site was cleared and trail holes at the footing of the walls undertaken. We are currently agreeing the specification, then the contractors will return to site to complete this phase.





The decision to demolish the structures was taken due to the serious risk to the public.





Two independent structural assessments, which were commissioned by Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council, confirmed the derelict state of the buildings posed the risk of collapse.





The Council has stockpiled the sandstone from Arlington Chapel to reuse in other planned regeneration schemes in Loftus.





The end use of the site has not been determined; but will be subject to an options assessment in the future. The community will be consulted of the outcome of this study in due course, ahead of any future planning application.





What will it deliver?






  • Future development site


Arlington Highway Improvements


Themes









UPDATES





Speed has been reduced along Loftus High Street to 20mph after more than 98% of people responding to a public consultation agreed with the idea.





This will extend from West Road, through Loftus Market Place and to Arlington Street.





Having listened to public feedback, non of the proposed speed cushions will be implemented at this time.





The new speed changes are in force from Monday 23rd January 2023.









What will it deliver?






  • A safer and more enjoyable environment for pedestrians






THE LOFTUS FLYTHROUGH

The vision for the next 5-10 years is to transform Loftus into a sustainable, contemporary market town. One that provides amenities, attractions and a focus for its passionate community and a well-connected base for visitors. A broadened accommodation offer will provide an aspirational place to make a home, a memorable destination for visitors and a sustainable location for businesses.

LATEST DEVELOPMENT NEWS

  • Loftus FAQs – August 2023

    Loftus FAQs – August 2023

    A public meeting was held on Thursday 27th July at Loftus Town Hall, where Redcar and Cleveland Brough Council Officers from the Place Development and Investment Team took question from the community. We’ve put together the answers to the questions asked and those taken away and hope that this lets you know exactly where we…

    Read Article

KEY LINKS

HISTORY OF LOFTUS

Once at the heart of the North-East’s ironstone mining industry, Loftus is on the A174 Whitby-Saltburn road, with over 5,000 vehicles passing through daily. 

THE MASTERPLAN

With the community, we have developed an ambitious but deliverable high street masterplan that will improve experience, drive green economic growth and ensure future sustainability. 

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