Anglia Square

The area where Anglia Square stands today was part of the Saxon settlement of Norwich, which was defended by Anglo-Scandinavian defensive ditches running along what is now Botolph Street and Anglia Square car park. Magdalen Street and St Augustine's, which are two of the oldest streets in Norwich, date back to those times. During the 19th century, a Crape Manufactory – a factory which produced a fabric often worn when mourning, was built where Anglia Square now stands. The area was badly bombed during the Baedeker raids in April 1942, during World War II and the area was deemed suitable for post-war development.

The 1945 Norwich Plan, prepared for the city council by C.H. James, Rowland Pierce and Norwich City Engineer H.C. Rowlet, envisioned an urban dual carriageway encircling the city centre, creating ambitiously titled “gates” (aka roundabouts) at every major intersection. Although it was unrealised in its entirety, the western and part of the northern sides of this ring road became the Inner Link Road, constructed between 1968 and 1975.

Many historic buildings were cleared in the making of Anglia Square and the subsequent inner-ring road. One of the oldest was the Kings Arms public house on Botolph Street, which on its gable end in large iron characters were the letters "I" and "C" and the date "1646", now preserved in one of the Norwich museums. Also demolished was the Regency bank at the junction of Magdalen Street and Botoph Street, some other Georgian and Victorian buildings along St George's Street, that survived the war bombings, as well as gabled and jettied Tudor buildings. The cleared areas near where The Shuttles pub stood were never built on, and remain an empty wasteland today.

File:Anglia Square2.JPG

The centre was designed by Alan Cooke & Partners who handled the whole development.Pevsner. N. & Watson. B .The Buildings of England Norfolk2:North-West and South (1993) {{ISBN|0140710604}} Retrieved 28 November 2008

The single storey shops include discount supermarkets and a wide range of privately owned and high street stores. The covered square features a selection of street stalls.File:Anglia Square3.JPG

Built on a concrete raft and rising above the centre is the former Odeon cinema which opened on 8 July 1971, replacing a nearby 2,000 seat pre-war cinema. Later part of the local Hollywood Cinemas chain, in July 2013 the cinema hosted the world premiere of Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa following an "Anglia Square Not Leicester Square" campaign.{{cite news |title=Alan Partridge Alpha Papa: Norwich hosts world premiere |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-23432591 |access-date=29 April 2023 |work=BBC News |date=24 July 2013}} In 2019, the cinema closed permanently.{{cite web |title=Hollywood Cinemas close after 30 years |url=https://www.itv.com/news/anglia/2019-02-07/hollywood-cinemas-close-after-30-years |website=ITV News |access-date=29 April 2023 |date=7 February 2019}}

File:Anglia Square1.JPG building|alt=]]

Anglia Square and the surrounding area is to be the centre of a major redevelopment with a suggested name of Calvert Square (Calvert Street is nearby). During 2008 the public were invited to view the proposals.[http://www.calvertsquare.co.uk/ Calvert Square] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081016054125/http://www.calvertsquare.co.uk/ |date=October 16, 2008 }} Retrieved 5 September 2008 Work was due to start in 2009 but plans were scaled down due to the credit crunch.[http://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/content/news/story.aspx?brand=ENOnline&category=News&tBrand=ENOnline&tCategory=news&itemid=NOED12%20Sep%202008%2008%3A30%3A33%3A377 Anglia Square plans formally submitted] {{dead link|date=January 2017|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} Retrieved October 2, 2008 In January 2011 new plans for the square were lodged and the developers hope to gain approval before the end of April 2011.[http://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/news/new_plans_for_norwich_s_anglia_square_1_778930 Norwich Evening News item] Retrieved January 26, 2011 In November, 2009 the public were asked to have their say on the proposed development. The multimillion-pound plans are to be part of the Northern City Centre Area Action Plan.[http://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/content/news/story.aspx?brand=ENOnline&category=News&tBrand=ENOnline&tCategory=news&itemid=NOED03%20Nov%202009%2016%3A19%3A46%3A507 Norwich Evening News report] {{dead link|date=January 2017|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} Retrieved 11 November 2009

In 2014, the centre was bought by investment manager Threadneedle Investments for £7.5 million.[http://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/news/norwich_shopping_centre_s_price_tag_is_revealed_following_sale_of_anglia_square_1_3634579 Evening News report] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210528133028/https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/local-council/norwich-shopping-centre-s-price-tag-is-revealed-following-sale-674548 |date=28 May 2021 }} Retrieved 9 June 2014

The current owners and their partner Weston Homes announced in November 2016, they have been holding talks with chief officers at Norwich City Hall. Plans submitted include the demolition of Anglia Square, the former stationery office and Gildengate House. More than 1000 homes are planned to be built above shop units and a new public square.{{cite web|author1=Dan Grimmer|title=Norwich's Anglia Square could be demolished as revamp plans, including 1000 homes, are revealed|url=http://www.edp24.co.uk/home/norwich_s_anglia_square_could_be_demolished_as_revamp_plans_including_more_than_1_000_new_homes_are_revealed_1_4758973|website=Eastern Daily Press|accessdate=10 January 2017|date=2 November 2016|archive-date=11 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170111000023/http://www.edp24.co.uk/home/norwich_s_anglia_square_could_be_demolished_as_revamp_plans_including_more_than_1_000_new_homes_are_revealed_1_4758973|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|title=Anglia Square and the surrounding area|url=https://www.norwich.gov.uk/info/20238/current_consultations/1875/anglia_square_and_surrounding_area|website=Norwich City Council|accessdate=10 January 2017|archive-date=11 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170111002147/https://www.norwich.gov.uk/info/20238/current_consultations/1875/anglia_square_and_surrounding_area|url-status=dead}}

In early 2018, Weston Homes and landowner Columbia Threadneedle submitted regeneration plans for the site. These include 1200 homes, of which 120 will be affordable, a major supermarket, hotel, green squares and central courtyards, along with a 20-storey tower.{{cite web|author1=David Hannant|title='My hope is for a common sense approach'- Reaction to plans for Anglia Square|url=http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/politics/anglia-square-plans-submitted-1-5436987|website=Eastern Daily Press|accessdate=24 April 2018|date=15 March 2018}} The project was opposed by Historic England, civic watchdog the Norwich Society and the Dean and Chapter of Norwich Cathedral.{{Cite web|url=https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/politics/controversial-anglia-square-norwich-271m-revamp-agreed-by-norwich-city-council-1-5809279|title=It's a yes! Anglia Square £271m revamp agreed after fierce six-hour debate|date=6 December 2018}} The plans were rejected but later revised in 2023, which were approved by the council despite concerns over the affordability of the housing. The plans were estimated to cost £300 million.{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-65422164 | title=Norwich Anglia Square plan approved by city council | work=BBC News | date=28 April 2023 }} However, in February 2024, Weston Homes announced it had pulled out of the project and the plans were scrapped.{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-68216790 | title=Norwich Anglia Square developer quits regeneration project | work=BBC News | date=6 February 2024 }}

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File:Anglia_Sq_from_Ringroad.JPG|Sovereign House

File:Anglia Sq Close View.JPG|Sovereign House

• [https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/politics/controversial-anglia-square-norwich-271m-revamp-agreed-by-norwich-city-council-1-5809279 £271 million revamp approved by Norwich City Council]

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