Thornfield Properties
Coverdale Davis represents Thornfield Property PLC on the communication of its corporate and scheme specific activities. Our remit is to reach a variety of audiences including; user groups, representing agents, local authority officials, local dignitaries, regional and community groups in order to take the business forward inline with the business strategy to become the UK's leading town centre regeneration developer.
Thornfield's largest scheme is the £350 million mixed use development, The Rock in Bury, Greater Manchester, currently mid way through its construction and due to open in summer 2010. The Rock will be the largest shopping destination to open next year and offers retailers an opportunity to be part of a scheme that will catapult Bury town centre, to 62nd ranked retail town in the UK according to CACI figures. The scheme will deliver 1.6 million sq ft of brand new accommodation, comprising two large department stores, 60 shop units, 8 restaurants, 1,250 car parking spaces and top leisure facilities to a town that has been previously under serviced by some of the big brands in retail and leisure.
The total floor space under contract or in solicitor’s hands brings it to an impressive 70% let, 10 months in advance of the grand opening in summer 2010. There are two million residents within 30 minutes drive from Bury, where the world famous market attracts a total of 12 million visitors a year. The resident population is 180,600, 35 per cent of whom are in the 20-44 high spending age bracket. A report published by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) this month highlighted The Rock as a scheme which could be said to represent the High Street of the Future (copies available on request).
These compelling catchment figures have already attracted big names in the retail, restaurant and leisure industries to sign up at The Rock. Debenhams and Marks and Spencer will anchor the scheme, and three flagship stores have already been let to Primark, Next and River Island. Vue is opening a 10-screen multiplex cinema and AMF a 24-lane bowling and family entertainment centre will open.
Pizza Express will anchor the restaurants. Coverdale Davis managed the review of the corporate identity, which we completed in May 2008. Thornfield Properties is a private development company with a development programme in excess of 10 million square feet across some 135 sites nationwide. Thornfield is renowned for its successful track record in delivering high quality town centre regeneration projects throughout the UK. We are working with them on schemes and town centre mixed use regeneration that include Hemel Hempstead, Bury, Winchester, Mid Sussex and Smithfield in London.