Revamp of Leicester's Highcross Shopping Centre entrances approved

Threesixty Architecture An artist's impression of a new entrance to Highcross Shopping Centre in High Street, Leicester. — The designs are intended to celebrate Leicester’s textile industry

Plans to overhaul four entrances to a Leicester shopping centre have been approved.

The new designs for Highcross Shopping Centre were revealed in October as proposals were submitted to the city council.

Property company Savills – which was appointed as the receiver for Highcross Shopping Centre Ltd in February 2023 – said the proposed designs would “emphasise the city’s cultural heritage” and improve the centre’s visibility.

The authority approved the plans on Tuesday with planning officers praising the proposals.

In their published decision, planning officers said the new designs reflected the “context of the immediate area and the wider architectural character and heritage” of the city in a way the previous entrances “did not”.

The proposed East Gates entrance, which sits close to the city centre’s Clock Tower

Threesixty Architecture The proposed East Gates entrance which sits close to the city centre's Clock Tower — The proposed East Gates entrance, which sits close to the city centre’s Clock Tower

Savills previously said the entrances – in East Gates, High Street, Church Gate and Bond Street – would be “reimagined” to celebrate the city’s “vibrant fashion and textiles legacy”.

Leicester was once recognised as one of the richest cities in Europe because of its booming textiles industry.

Savills said the design of each entrance would “mirror textures and forms known throughout fashion, including a ‘runway’, a curtain reveal and twisted pleat feature”.

Work to replace the entrances is expected to start in the spring and take about six months.