Heritage Midlands & East Anglia Premier Construction

Heritage-style makeover transforms shopfront streetscape

Inner Burton, the northern end of Burton’s High Street
Written by Roma Publications

Inner Burton, the northern end of Burton’s High Street

The focus of huge local interest is a major heritage-style makeover which has dramatically transformed 23 shop fronts belonging to small independent businesses within a conservation area, along the northern end of Burton’s High Street.

The project, named the Inner Burton Initiative, was carried out for East Staffordshire Borough Council by Main Contractors Harvey and Clark.

The £681,678 scheme, which was funded by Government, aimed to rejuvenate the area and maximise the regeneration potential of the Bargates development site. The scheme focused on external works to properties including popular eateries and small retailers. Each business was consulted over the designs to maintain their unique identity, whilst ensuring the overall street scene continued to reflect the town’s proud heritage and history.

Martin Harvey of Harvey and Clark told Premier Construction:

“The businesses involved are varied and include everything from restaurants to a locksmith, florist and many others. Some of the properties are around 100 – 150 years old and some are three stories high

“High Street is located at the gateway to Burton and that is why it was selected for improvement. The aim of the scheme is to attract more business into the area which had suffered from decline in recent years and also to support the existing businesses.”

Inner Burton, the northern end of Burton’s High Street

The scheme involved the installation of new timber shop fronts, new doors and windows, new hanging signage, new lighting, window graphics and decoration – all in traditional style complete with heritage features such as pilasters and scrolls, in keeping with the age of the buildings. Further works included brickwork repairs and the renewal of rainwater goods.

Every shop is different and the colour schemes were chosen by the architects, Gillespie’s in consultation with the planners and owners of the shops and are in keeping with the history of the properties.

“As a local company we are proud to be involved in this project, the transformation of the shopfronts has been dramatic and feedback has been very positive from both the shopkeepers the public. The project has been of great local interest.

“This is the second scheme we have carried out for the council (the first was under the Inner Burton Housing initiative).”

The project commenced in May 2014 and was completed in November.

Inner Burton, the northern end of Burton’s High Street

ATLAS Building & Civil Engineering Ltd

ATLAS Building & Civil Engineering Ltd is specialist groundwork’s contractors with 17 years’ experience in the industry. Since their inception, ATLAS has worked with a wide range of clients including Kier, Keepmoat, Carillion, Larkleet Homes and Lovell Homes.

We caught up with Jamie Lord, Director of ATLAS, to find out more about the firms recent involvement in the Inner Burton Initiative. Jamie commented:

“At Inner Burton we are improving shop frontages; Harvey and Clarke have undertaken the shop façade improvements and we have been doing the external footpath works including laying new slabbing. This scheme has been important to be involved with as it is nice to put something back into the area and see an improvement in the community.”

The firm pride themselves on delivering a quality product within the timeframes required.

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Roma Publications