Councillors Approve £5.56 Million to Complete Former Debenhams Redevelopment in Lichfield

For decades, Debenhams was one of the anchor stores of Lichfield city centre. Then, almost overnight, it became one of its biggest vacant spaces.

Now, following a decision at Full Council, that investment package has been signed off, finally unlocking the completion of the long-awaited redevelopment of the former department store, promising new leisure space, commercial units and a renewed sense of purpose for one of the city's most prominent sites.

The proposals, considered by Lichfield District Council's Cabinet on Monday 13th July before going to Full Council the following evening, approve additional funding to complete the transformation of the former Debenhams building at Three Spires. The council says the investment was needed to overcome unexpected structural challenges uncovered during construction and to allow the authority to secure full ownership of the completed development.

For many residents, the building has become symbolic of the changing fortunes of Britain's high streets.

Debenhams had traded from the site for many years before the retailer entered administration in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, with stores across the country closing over the following months. Like dozens of department stores nationally, the Lichfield branch closed its doors, leaving behind a large vacant building at the heart of the city centre.

Rather than allowing the site to remain empty, Lichfield District Council entered a joint venture with Evolve Estates, owners of Three Spires, as part of a wider strategy to reinvent the city centre. The vision is not simply to replace one retailer with another, but to create a mixed use destination capable of attracting visitors throughout the day and into the evening.

Central to those plans is a new Everyman Cinema, alongside food and drink businesses and complementary commercial units, intended to strengthen the city's night time economy and encourage people to spend more time in the centre.

Construction has been under way since 2024, but the council says the complexity of converting a large department store into a modern leisure destination has proved greater than originally anticipated.

According to Cabinet papers, additional structural work has increased costs, with the £5.56 million made up of £2.84 million to complete the redevelopment and £2.72 million to allow the council to secure full ownership of the site, buying out its joint venture partner's stake.

Speaking after the vote, Cllr Doug Pullen, Leader of Lichfield District Council, said the decision gave the project a clear way forward.

"Tonight, councillors have made their decision on the future of this redevelopment. Throughout this project we've committed to being open about both the progress we've made and the challenges we've faced.

"Our focus now is clear. We will complete construction, work with Everyman Cinema and our other occupiers as they prepare to open, and deliver a development that strengthens Lichfield city centre for years to come.

"This building has stood vacant for too long. We now have a clear path forward, and my commitment is that we will see this project through, keep residents updated as construction progresses and ensure this becomes a destination the district can be proud of."

The decision was not without opposition. Cllr Russ Bragger, leader of the Labour group, said members supported regeneration of the site but had serious concerns about how the project had been overseen.

"We support regeneration of the Debenhams site, but we also want regeneration in other areas of the district. What we have difficulty supporting is the mismanagement and lack of oversight of such a major project, which leads to more resource being allocated to the city rather than the rest of the district.

"Back in 2023, we would not have agreed to this scheme if we realised there would be no oversight. It is essential that there is all party oversight of the progress and financial details of the project."

Cllr Paul Ray, leader of the Liberal Democrat group, which abstained from the vote, said councillors had been left with little real choice.

"We wish to see the project move forward at pace. Stopping work on the project, temporarily or permanently, is not an economic option. The only viable option is to carry on.

"However, we strongly condemn the way in which the project has been mismanaged so far. There has been a lack of transparency at different levels and a lack of engagement by the council's representatives to discover what has been going on behind the scenes."

Unfortunately, this story reflects a wider reality for town and city centres across the county.

Traditional department stores once acted as magnets, drawing thousands of shoppers into high streets every week. As online shopping has grown and household names such as Debenhams have disappeared, councils have increasingly found themselves asking a difficult question: what should these enormous buildings become?

Increasingly, the answer has been leisure rather than retail.

Now approved, the redevelopment is expected to strengthen the city's visitor economy while creating a more vibrant evening offer for residents who currently travel elsewhere for cinema and leisure facilities.

The council believes the investment will ultimately generate a financial return for taxpayers while supporting businesses throughout the wider city centre by increasing footfall. Cllr Pullen has said the scheme is forecast to deliver a net return of more than £200,000 a year once operational, after running costs are taken into account.

Of course, questions remain.

The project has already experienced delays, with the cinema now expected to open in spring 2027, later than originally anticipated, and opposition councillors have made clear they intend to keep close scrutiny on costs and oversight as construction continues. Some residents have also questioned whether public investment in commercial regeneration on this scale represents good value for money.

Construction is expected to complete later this year, with Everyman Cinema and the other occupiers then carrying out their fit-out ahead of opening.