TK Maxx: What’s the score with the new Bishop’s Stortford store?
In the Bishop’s Stortford Independent of October 16, reader Angela Barton asked: “What is going on, or not going on, with the TK Maxx site [as it has] gone suspiciously quiet”. Here, Cllr Yvonne Estop provides an answer...
The extension of the Jackson Square shopping centre for TK Maxx and other new shops is the most significant and exciting thing happening in the town centre.
The existing structure was completely stripped back to the frame, ready to extend the building outwards.
Where the building is being extended, they have drilled deep concrete piles and poured new concrete bases. Right now you can see a new steel structure being assembled with a huge crane – this will reveal the shape of the emerging building.
The building programme had to be altered because builders uncovered an old tunnel built in brick. The contractor then had to ask the Environment Agency and water companies if it was important.
The answer was that it has no function and was probably a ‘feeder’ pipe from the river into the original navigation basin, where Jackson Square now stands.
The large crane will be on site for a couple of weeks. For the ‘East extension’ (nearer to the Causeway roundabout), the steel structure is planned to be erected in December. Both steel structures should be up by Christmas, and will show the shape of the new extensions on Bridge Street.
Some people have been particularly concerned about Bridge Street, where the pavement was removed.
The county highways authority grants a licence for closure of roads or footways for construction sites. The temporary pedestrian crossing is there due to the efforts of Cllrs Chris Wilson and Calvin Horner. The contractor, Faithdean, then applied for a new licence to work on the highway for the current concrete and steel works.
The pedestrian crossing has recently been moved further up Bridge Street, in response to pedestrian safety issues. Cllr Horner asked for additional signing to be put in place to increase visibility for drivers.
In the last few days, cones have been placed on the road to close one lane to traffic to enable the current major construction work. This lane closure licence is scheduled until the end of November. I hope then that the appearance of the hoardings might improve.
The contractor hopes to provide a timeline of all the remaining stages of work.
This is a major construction project and as such is incredibly interesting to many residents in terms of its design and engineering, including the unexpected discovery of old brickwork.
Cllr Yvonne Estop
(Lab, Bishop’s Stortford Central), Bishop’s Stortford Town Council and East Herts Council
