Tamworth Borough Council is looking for a development partner for its exciting Gungate regeneration project, a major mixed-use opportunity, due to be launched later this year.
The Gungate redevelopment site extends to circa 6.82 acres (2.76 hectares) and is strategically located at the heart of Tamworth town centre just 0.3 miles from Tamworth Railway Station, a key transport hub, providing direct trains to and from Birmingham in as little as 16 minutes, and to London Euston in 1 hour 8 minutes via the fastest services.
The development's central location offers opportunities to strengthen community connections by creating high-quality housing alongside public spaces that foster interaction and inclusion. Local amenities include Tamworth Library, South Staffordshire College and St Editha’s Parish Church and Square along with a variety of retail facilities and food and beverage offerings.
Detailed feasibility studies have been carried out to explore how the site could be developed in a way that would be viable, sustainable and contribute to the overall success of the ‘place shaping’ for Tamworth. Data has suggested that a mix of uses will be the most sustainable, however, with its brownfield housing allocation, the Council vision for the site expects that any scheme coming forwards would be housing led. The goal is to prompt use day and night, and for the area to become a hub for the adjacent riverside, residential and retail zones, creating a dynamic mixed-use development which caters for all ages.
Now, the Council is on the lookout for a developer to collaborate with to make the scheme come to life.
“This approach would support town centre living, enhance connectivity, and unlock the site’s economic potential by incorporating ancillary leisure and food/drink opportunities, as well as creating employment and land uses tailored to local needs. Due to its size, location, and strategic connectivity, Gungate is a significant regeneration opportunity which has the potential to underpin the long-term vitality and growth of the town centre and identify Tamworth as a great place to both live and work,” said Stephen Gabriel, the Council’s CEO.
Since being purchased by Tamworth Borough Council in 2018, the Gungate site has been used as a car park, and many of the buildings surrounding the site are now vacant, and these underutilised spaces were set out as key opportunities in the Town Centre Plan 2025.
Tamworth Borough Council Town Centre Masterplan covers the period 2025-2045, aiming to enhance public spaces, transport connectivity, and urban greening while supporting community needs, economic growth, and sustainable developments. Tamworth Borough Council’s vision for delivering the Gungate scheme is underpinned by high-quality design, strong connectivity, active frontages, enhanced public realm, integration with the historic environment, and a commitment to sustainability.
“We want to leverage key sites, including those under Council ownership, to attract investment and unlock regeneration potential to create a resilient, vibrant town centre that meets the needs of residents, businesses, and visitors. Gungate has been identified as a key opportunity area within the Masterplan and offers an unparalleled opportunity to create a sustainable, connected, and culturally rich urban hub that supports Tamworth’s long term regeneration goals,” said Robert Weaver, Executive Director for Place at the Council.
Tamworth is undergoing significant transformation with multi-million-pound projects bringing improvements and changes to the town, following the successful award of £21.65m from the Future High Streets Fund Grant in 2022. Tamworth Borough Council has recognised that the Gungate regeneration site needs to further support the town centre while also complimenting the Future High Streets Fund programme.
