Aviva Investors fund a new shopping experience in the heart of Stevenage Town

5 December 2019

Aviva Investors, the global asset manager business of Aviva plc, has provided funding to Stevenage Borough Council (SBC) and the Reef Group for  the £50m Queensway North Regeneration scheme comprising the former Marks & Spencer and adjoining retail parade to spearhead. 

Development of the Queensway North area will form a significant early phase and important part of Stevenage’s £1bn, 20-year regeneration programme. The ambitious scheme will be the first of Stevenage Borough Council’s mixed use regeneration projects.

The major mixed use commercial and residential regeneration includes plans to extensively refurbish and improve the existing main shopping area in and around the block on the east side of Queensway North, and building new housing.  The development consists of approximately 45,000 square foot of new retail and restaurant space, a gym, new office and innovation and technology centre and 116 apartments.

Planning permission was obtained in August of this year and construction will start on-site early next year. The first phase comprising the commercial aspect of the scheme will be complete at the end of 2019, with the second phase of 102 new homes set to be completed 12 months later at the end of 2020.

Leader of Stevenage Borough Council, Sharon Taylor, gave the following comment regarding the upcoming partnership with Reef Group:

“Our vision it to reinvigorate the centre of Stevenage, and with Reef Group now on board we’re in a great position to deliver on this vision. Together we’re bringing a new and different type of shopping experience, an innovation hub and more homes into the heart of our town, which will create a new and vibrant place for more people to shop, work and play”.

Chief Executive of Reef Group, Piers Slater, said:

“Working closely with Stevenage Borough Council, Reef Group are excited to have been able to embark on our shared vision to regenerate this important area of Stevenage.  We’re delighted to be bringing new investment, occupiers and uses to create a new district where people want to work, shop, and live”.

Mark Wells, Director, Aviva Investors, said:

“We are delighted to have entered into this long term partnership with Stevenage Borough Council and Reef Group.  Reef and the Council have impressive plans for the scheme which will give the town centre a new lease of life, supporting both housing need and economic development.”

For more information contact:

James Morgan

Media Relations Manager

Steve Ainger

Head of Media Relations

Important information

The information and opinions contained in this document are for use by the financial press and media only. No reliance may be placed for any purpose on the information or opinions contained in this document nor should they be seen as advice. 

The press release is provided on the basis that Aviva Investors Global Services Limited is not causing the communication of a financial promotion under exemption of the Financial Promotion Order, as Aviva Investors Global Services Limited has no control over the way in which an article based on this press release is prepared and published by the financial press and media. 

Except where stated as otherwise, the source of all information is Aviva Investors Global Services Limited (“Aviva Investors”) as at 11 April 2022. Unless stated otherwise any views and opinions expressed are those of Aviva Investors. They should not be viewed as indicating any guarantee of return from an investment managed by Aviva Investors nor as advice of any nature. The value of an investment and any income from it may go down as well as up and the investor may not get back the original amount invested. 

Issued by Aviva Investors Global Services Limited, registered in England No. 1151805. Registered Office: 80 Fenchurch Street, London, EC3M 4AE. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Aviva Investors

Aviva Investors is the global asset management business of Aviva plc. The business delivers investment management solutions, services and client-driven performance to clients worldwide. Aviva Investors operates in 14 countries in Asia Pacific, Europe, North America and the United Kingdom with assets under management of £268 billion in assets under management as at 31 December 2021.

Aviva PLC

We are the UK’s leading Insurance, Wealth & Retirement business and we operate in the UK, Ireland and Canada. We also have international investments in Singapore, China and India.

  • We help our 18.5 million customers make the most out of life, plan for the future, and have the confidence that if things go wrong we’ll be there to put it right.
  • We have been taking care of people for 325 years, in line with our purpose of being ‘with you today, for a better tomorrow’. In 2021, we paid £30.2 billion in claims and benefits to our customers.
  • Aviva is a market leader in sustainability. In 2021, we announced our plan to become a Net Zero carbon emissions company by 2040, the first major insurance company in the world to do so. This plan means Net Zero carbon emissions from our investments by 2040; setting out a clear pathway to get there with a cut of 25% in the carbon intensity of our investments by 2025 and of 60% by 2030; and Net Zero carbon emissions from our own operations and supply chain by 2030.  Find out more about our climate goals at www.aviva.com/climate-goals and our sustainability ambition and action at www.aviva.com/sustainability
  • Aviva is a Living Wage and Living Hours employer and provides market-leading benefits for our people, including flexible working, paid carers leave and equal parental leave. Find out more at www.aviva.com/about-us/our-people/
  • At 31 December 2021, total Group assets under management at Aviva Group are £401 billion and our Solvency II shareholder capital surplus is £13.1 billion. Our shares are listed on the London Stock Exchange and we are a member of the FTSE 100 index.
  • For more details on what we do, our business and how we help our customers, visit www.aviva.com/about-us  
  • The Aviva newsroom at www.aviva.com/newsroom includes links to our spokespeople images, podcasts, research reports and our news release archive. Sign up to get the latest news from Aviva by email.
  • You can follow us on:

o    Twitter: www.twitter.com/avivaplc/  

o    LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/aviva-plc

o    Instagram: www.instagram.com/avivaplc

For the latest corporate films from around our business, subscribe to our YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/user/aviva

Aviva Investors Global Services Limited
80 Fenchurch Street, London, EC3M 4AE

Phone     +44 (0)20 7809 6000

Fax          +44 (0)20 7489 7940

Web        www.avivainvestors.com

Email      info@avivainvestors.com

Issued by Aviva Investors Global Services Limited, registered in England No. 1151805. 
Registered Office: 80 Fenchurch Street, London, EC3M 4AE. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and a member of the Investment Association.

Telephone calls may be recorded for training and monitoring purposes.