Opportunities

Development opportunities near train station and large shopping centre

Located on the doorstep of Basingstoke train station, the town centre attracts local and regional shoppers. The area includes The Malls Shopping Centre which is owned by the Council, the historic Top of the Town and Festival Place – recently acquired by MDSR Investments – which is home to 160 stores and 20 eateries, and has recently had a multitude of new openings, including Søstrene Grene, Boswell’s and Superbowl UK.

Highlights 

Sectors: Living, Office, Culture, Leisure, Retail 
Landowner:  Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council  
Planning authority: Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council 
Opportunity:  £240mil GDV 
Homes: up to 500  
Size: 170,000 sq ft office, retail and F&B 

A prime regeneration opportunity at the heart of Basingstoke, unlocking phased development across retail, F&B, residential, and office space - anchored by council-owned assets and unrivalled connectivity. 

Located on the doorstep of Basingstoke train station, the town centre attracts local and regional shoppers. The area includes The Malls Shopping Centre which is owned by the council, the historic Top of the Town and Festival Place which is home to 150 stores, 200 big brands and 35 eateries, and has recently had a multitude of new openings, including Søstrene Grene, Boswell’s and Superbowl UK.  

A masterplan adopted by the council in 2022 identifies key development opportunities for a dynamic mix of retail, F&B, residential and office uses across several sites, and the council is now considering ways to accelerate delivery in parallel with the emerging local plan and its policies. 

Delivery of the masterplan has been structured into phases, with the council actively seeking a major investor to join as a joint venture partner to help advance the priority sites. These include Top of the Town, London Road, and The Malls/ Station Approach. 

Current opportunities in the town centre include: 

Top of Town car parks  

Located in the heart of Basingstoke, these car parks represent a strategic development opportunity within a historic quarter. As part of the Town Centre Masterplan, the vision includes transforming the area into a vibrant mixed-use district with improved pedestrian connections. Development options include residential-led schemes with over 130 new homes, ground-floor commercial space, public realm upgrades, and a multi-storey car park. Opportunities to enhance the streetscape with green spaces, public art, and hospitality uses are also explored.  

Size: 123 spaces (Southern Rd), 126 spaces (Castons), 60 spaces (Caston’s Yard).  

Proposed use: Residential-led schemes with over 130 new homes (depending on configuration), commercial space, public realm upgrades, and a multi-storey car park (subject to planning).  

The Malls Shopping Centre  

Positioned between Festival Place and the train station, The Malls offers a transformational opportunity to reconnect and reimagine Basingstoke’s town centre. The adopted masterplan proposes reshaping this inward-facing structure into a walkable, street-based, mixed-use district with improved connectivity and green spaces, subject to planning permission. There is potential for a vibrant mix of residential, retail, commercial, and community uses, alongside a new public transport corridor.  

Size: 300,000 sq ft of existing shopping centre and a 540-space car park. 

Proposed use: Mixed-use development with residential, retail, commercial, and community uses, plus a new east–west public transport corridor.   

View the location on Google Maps.

For enquiries about the town centre future, please contact Sarah Longthorpe, Director of Regeneration.