UK city could lose 2 major shopping centres in massive overhaul

Two shopping centres could be removed from a city centre under the local council's potential visions to revamp the area. Hull City Council has laid out some of the ways it believes it can breathe new life into the port city's centre, including the possibility of getting rid of the two major shopping hubs.

Documents published by the council show how the removal of both the Prospect Centre and Princes Quay are "illustrative options" for Hull's redevelopment. The City Centre Vision sets out a framework for the Yorkshire city's regeneration between 2025 and 2045. The document doesn't state how much the redevelopment ideas could cost, but does explain how the new Hull and East Riding Combined Authority (HEYCA) unlocks "substantial powers" and investment opportunities in the region of around £400 million.

Since earlier this year, Hull City Council has been part of the new devolved body alongside East Riding of Yorkshire Council with a combined population of 610,000.

The City Centre Vision document states it "sets a compelling long-term ambition for change in the city centre that provides a roadmap for investment, funding and prioritisation over the next 20 years".

It discusses the future of the Prospect Centre shopping hub and its surrounding area, known as the 'Prospect Triangle regeneration area', as well as other developments and ideas.

One of the three suggestions sees the Prospect Centre being retained in its current form, albeit with "new residential development" added nearby, per HullLive.

A second option proposes removing the existing car park and creating a new public square, while the third suggests removing the entire shopping centre.

Removing it would potentially lead to a "mixed-use redevelopment" to create a "vibrant new living quarter" in the city centre along with "new retail units at ground floor", the document said.

Similarly, four visions are set for the future of the Princes Quay and wider Myton Street development near to Hull Waterside and Marina.

One scenario involves the complete removal of the shopping centre and the reinstating of Princes Dock.

This could enable "a broader offer of water activity" and may include "floating habitat islands, a lido or boathouse for water sports", plus a "floating stage", the document says.

However, it continues to explain how Princes Quay is a "significant" opportunity due to "its strategic position at the heart of Hull's maritime heritage".

It could be used "as a backdrop to introduce new leisure and recreational uses for all" and "be maintained as a prominent city centre landmark", the City Centre Vision document said, according to HullLive.

A survey in 2023 saw Hull named in the top 50 worst places to live in England.