Serpentine Green

Serpentine Green is a shopping centre serving the Hampton Hargate area of southern Peterborough, England. It opened on 8 February 1999 and takes its name from the nearby Serpentine Lake and The Serpentine, the dual-carriageway adjoining the development. The centre was established as a major retail destination for the expanding southern part of Peterborough and is positioned close to the A15 and the A1139 Fletton Parkway, with road access connecting it to surrounding districts including Orton. At opening, its Tesco store was promoted as a flagship branch and was reported to be the largest Tesco store in the United Kingdom at the time, with approximately 130,000 square feet, or about 12,000 square metres, of floor space. The centre subsequently developed into a broader retail and community complex containing approximately 34 shop units. Its tenant mix has included national chains such as Next, M&S Food, Boots, Mothercare and WHSmith, alongside other retailers and services. A food court provides dining facilities, while the Rotunda includes community-oriented amenities described as a health centre and library. The property also includes a car park with approximately 2,100 spaces. This capacity supports the centre's role as a destination serving a wide catchment area and accommodates particularly high visitor volumes during the Christmas shopping period. The surrounding site was built on former brick workings associated with the production of Fletton bricks. Before construction, the land was reclaimed over several decades from the 1960s using earth bunds, discarded clay and pulverised-fuel-ash slurry. Serpentine Green has undergone tenant and physical changes since its launch. A Mothercare store opened at the centre on 5 May 2011. In November 2016, the first major redevelopment began, adding about 2,300 square metres, or 25,000 square feet, of retail and customer space. The project included a mezzanine floor and an outdoor seating area and was expected to be completed in summer 2017, with later references associating the redevelopment with 2018. In 2019, the Mothercare and WHSmith stores closed, with replacement occupiers expected to follow. The centre remains an active retail destination and is owned by British Land.

Serpentine Green was developed as a retail and community centre for Hampton Hargate, a southern Peterborough district shaped by suburban expansion. The site had previously been used for brick extraction. It was associated with Fletton brick production, and its reclamation began in the 1960s through the construction of bunds from discarded and borrowed clay, followed by infilling with pulverised-fuel-ash slurry. This industrial history is part of the physical context of the later shopping-centre development. The centre opened on 8 February 1999. Its name refers to the nearby Serpentine Lake and to The Serpentine, the dual-carriageway alongside the centre. From the outset, Serpentine Green was intended to function as a substantial out-of-town or suburban retail destination rather than a small local parade. Its location beside the A15 and near the A1139 Fletton Parkway gave it road access from southern Peterborough and neighbouring parts of the city. Tesco was the principal anchor at opening. The branch was described as a flagship store and, at approximately 130,000 square feet, was reported to be the largest Tesco outlet in the United Kingdom when it opened. Although larger Tesco stores were subsequently built elsewhere, the supermarket established Serpentine Green's initial scale and helped attract regular and seasonal visitors. The wider centre comprises approximately 34 shop units and has hosted a mixture of national retailers and services. Tenants identified in reference material include Next, M&S Food and Boots, as well as other national chains. The centre also incorporates a food court and community facilities in the Rotunda, including a health centre and library. Its approximately 2,100-space car park supports the centre's large visitor numbers, particularly during the Christmas retail period. Tenant changes continued during the 2010s. Mothercare opened a store on 5 May 2011. In November 2016, the centre entered its first major redevelopment, with plans for approximately 2,300 square metres of additional space. The works included a mezzanine floor and an outdoor seating area and were expected to finish in summer 2017. Later references connect the completed or substantially completed redevelopment with 2018. Reports after the redevelopment alleged that the centre developed a strong sewage smell, although the available material does not provide a confirmed explanation or resolution. Retail conditions continued to alter the tenant line-up. In 2019, Mothercare and WHSmith closed their Serpentine Green stores, and the centre indicated that replacement shops would be introduced. The property is owned by British Land. Available reference material does not identify a separate operating company, founder, chief executive or publicly traded brand structure for Serpentine Green itself. Its continuing identity is therefore primarily as a British Land-owned shopping-centre property and local retail destination.

• 2019

  Two national retailers close

  [1]Serpentine Greenen.wikipedia.org

  The Mothercare and WHSmith stores at the centre closed, with replacement shops expected to be introduced.

• 2018

  Redevelopment period and odour reports

  [1]Serpentine Greenen.wikipedia.org

  References associate the redevelopment with 2018 and report complaints or observations concerning a strong sewage smell at the centre afterward.

• 2016

  Major redevelopment starts

  [1]Serpentine Greenen.wikipedia.org

  Redevelopment began in November 2016, adding approximately 2,300 square metres of space, a mezzanine floor and outdoor seating.

• 2011

  Mothercare joins the tenant mix

  [1]Serpentine Greenen.wikipedia.org

  A Mothercare store opened at Serpentine Green on 5 May 2011.

• 1999

  Shopping centre opens

  [1]Serpentine Greenen.wikipedia.org

  Serpentine Green opened on 8 February 1999 in Hampton Hargate, southern Peterborough.

• 1960

  Site reclamation begins

  [1]Serpentine Greenen.wikipedia.org

  Reclamation of the former brick-working site began in the 1960s using clay bunds and pulverised-fuel-ash infill, preparing the land for later development.

A large suburban shopping centre and community retail destination serving southern Peterborough, combining national-chain retail, grocery shopping, food, services and substantial car-parking capacity.

• Retail property · 1999

  Shopping-centre retail space

  Serpentine Green's principal offering is a multi-unit shopping-centre environment containing approximately 34 retail and service units. Its tenant profile has included national fashion, grocery, health and beauty, stationery and general merchandise retailers. The centre is designed to serve both routine local shopping and larger destination visits.

• Grocery retail · 1999

  Tesco anchor store

  The Tesco store was the centre's principal opening anchor and was described as a flagship branch. At approximately 130,000 square feet, it was reported to be the largest Tesco store in the United Kingdom when Serpentine Green opened, although larger branches were later built elsewhere.

• Food service · 1999

  Food court

  The centre includes a food court intended to complement its retail offer and provide visitors with on-site dining options. The available reference material does not identify the individual food operators or current tenant composition.

• Community services · 1999

  Rotunda community facilities

  The Rotunda contains community-oriented facilities described in reference material as a health centre and library. These amenities extend the centre's function beyond shopping and contribute to its role as a local service destination.

• Visitor infrastructure · 1999

  Customer car park

  Serpentine Green provides approximately 2,100 parking spaces. The car park supports the centre's substantial visitor volumes and is particularly important during the Christmas shopping season.

• 2019

  Respond to tenant departuresOther

  Background

  The centre's tenant mix changed as national retailers adjusted their store portfolios.

  Action taken

  Mothercare and WHSmith stores at Serpentine Green closed, with new shops expected to replace them.

  Aftermath

  The available reference material does not identify the replacement tenants or provide a later assessment of the completed re-letting process.

  Source

• 2016

  Approve and commence major centre redevelopmentStrategy

  Background

  The centre undertook its first major redevelopment after more than 15 years of operation, seeking to expand and refresh its retail environment.

  Action taken

  Works commenced in November 2016 and included approximately 2,300 square metres of additional space, a mezzanine floor and an outdoor seating area.

  Aftermath

  The project was expected to be completed in summer 2017, with later references associating the redevelopment with 2018. Subsequent reports mentioned a strong sewage odour, but the available source does not establish its cause or resolution.

  Source

1. 1Serpentine Greenen.wikipedia.org