Telford’s Southwater One opens!

The first phase of Telford's 250mGBP Southwater regeneration project opened this week.

Southwater One is a flagship mixed-use development that includes a library, coffee shop and Telford and Wrekin Council's main advice centre. Future phases will include an 11-screen IMAX cinema, bars and 10 restaurants, due to open over the next two months.

Gillespies designed its innovative new public spaces, which include a lake and spaces designed to help promote this new retail, leisure and civic destination for the Shropshire town.

The development, first proposed over a decade ago, sits between Telford Town Centre shopping complex and Telford town park (also designed by Gillespies.)

Council business director Dave Sidaway described the opening of Southwater One as "a big milestone for the history of Telford - taking Telford to a new level," he said of what has been called the "vibrant heart for Telford town centre".