Town Investment Plan

New Towns Heritage Centre

Stevenage is rightly proud of its heritage as the UK’s first New Town. The New Towns Heritage Centre will celebrate Stevenage’s contribution to the 20th Century urban planning movement and new models of urban development. It will be incorporated into the new Civic Hub as part of the SG1 proposals.

Early works continue to explore how this would look, and the local community have been asked what they would like to see from a new museum space in the future.

Stevenage Sports & Leisure Hub

A new Sports & Leisure Centre is proposed for Stevenage. new facility will bring together the sports and swimming facilities currently provided at Stevenage Arts & Leisure Centre, and Stevenage Swimming Centre. The new facility will act as a focal point for the town, encouraging greater levels of participation in sport and deliver improvements in health and wellbeing.

Whilst the design of this new facility is in its infancy, the council and its partners are committed to working alongside the local community, businesses and schools over the coming months in the planning of the new facility and strives to build a sport and leisure hub that the town can really be proud of.

Cycling and Pedestrian Connectivity (including Arts & Heritage Trail)

Stevenage already has very good cycling and pedestrian infrastructure, but parts have become fragmented and disconnected over time with a lack of investment.

Part of works to improve the 45km of cycleway include the introduction of new urban artworks. Three new murals were unveiled at the underpass near Stevenage FC and Wickes at the Broadhall Way Roundabout over the summer. The murals represent the town’s achievement in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), our green spaces and active travel, and Stevenage Football Club.

Works are also underway to create a new Arts & Heritage Trail for the town.

Stevenage Enterprise Centre

The new Enterprise Centre will provide space in the town centre for labs, workshops, co-working, hot desks and meeting rooms with a focus on digital creativity and technology. This centre will help harness the strength of existing life science, satellite and digital sectors within the town.

Former Marshgate car park – mixed use development

This site – which is now completed – responds to the need of the town for additional life sciences space to meet the demand of the growing cluster, as well as the need for local key worker housing. New housing – ‘The Forge’ – has provided this key worker housing on the site of the former Marks & Spencer and the former Marshgate car park is now the site of a new headquarters for Autolus. Autolus develop next-generation T-cell therapies for the treatment of cancer and the new facility sees the creation of up to 400 new jobs in Stevenage.

A further significant investment from Reef Group will see the development of The Forum, delivering new significant laboratory and research office facilities alongside retail space, whilst improving cycling and pedestrian connections in Stevenage town centre.

Stevenage Innovation & Technology Centre (SITEC)

Phase One of SITEC was officially opened in March 2023 at the North Hertfordshire College Stevenage Campus. SITEC is a new venture created in partnership with the College, Stevenage Borough Council, and Hertfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (Hertfordshire LEP). With state-of-the-art laboratories and equipment, SITEC at North Herts College aims to capitalise on Stevenage’s strengths of the international stage for life sciences.

The project, part-funded by Hertfordshire LEP, is the first phase of NHC’s project to develop and deliver an exciting range of new T Level and Apprenticeship qualifications across Science, Engineering, Digital, and Sustainable Technologies subjects.

Gunnels Wood Road Infrastructure Improvements

Stevenage Borough Council is working closely with Hertfordshire Country Council and the Hertfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership with a view to investing into the transport infrastructure on Gunnels Wood Road to facilitate the new employment that arises from the significant growth in the town of the life sciences industry.

Town Centre Diversification & Garden Square

The site which is currently home to Event Island Stevenage – on the site of the former bus station – will, in the long term, become a new Garden Square for the town. Event Island Stevenage is an interim multi-purpose space for the local community to enjoy events and celebrations with greenery, a stage and informal play area as well as contributing positively to a sense of community within the town centre.

Station Gateway Enabling Works

Station Gateway is a key Major Opportunity Area identified within the Stevenage Central Framework and Stevenage Town Investment Plan. Towns Fund money has been allocated to begin master-planning the area, which looks to provide a significantly enhanced gateway to the town centre and transform an area currently characterised by roads, surface level car parking and poor-quality buildings into a new thriving commercial and residential quarter for the town.

Marking the entrance to the town, the new award-winning multi-storey car park was opened at the Railway Station in May 2023 as an early phase of Station Gateway. The new parking facility features 622 spaces including 30 blue badge spaces, electric vehicle charging, and cycle storage for 80 bikes in a secure facility. The car park was awarded the Park Mark Plus Award as well as being jointly awarded ‘Bew New Car Park’ in a town or city at the 2023 British Parking Awards.