The developers transforming Richmond's empty House of Fraser store into a premium office, leisure and shopping complex hope the first tenants will be in before next Christmas.

Planning permission has been granted for a mixed-used development including an upmarket private gym on one floor and an associated swimming pool in the basement.

The plan is to include 'high end' office and retail tenants with a new rooftop restaurant and terraces with views across the town.

The company behind the scheme, Sheen Lane Developments, which is owned by Richmond residents, insist they know the importance of breathing new life into the landmark, George Street, building.

The company's development director, Andrew Cooper, said the intention is to 'bring this building back to life as soon as possible'.

He told planners: "80 George Street is an incredibly important site for Richmond and is an incredibly important site for Sheen Lane Developments, being our biggest scheme in the borough to date.

"Speaking frankly, neither we nor the town centre can afford for such a prominent building to remain unoccupied for any great length of time."

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He insisted the firm will be able to let the landmark building, which has been closed since September 2020, to a collection of premium names.

"The commercial market is incredibly challenging at the moment, due to our changing working and shopping habits, but we have a number of high end leisure, retail and office occupiers who are very keen to sign for space in this development," he said.

Mr Cooper told Nub News that work to create the new lay-out and pool can start soon, adding: "We hope the first tenants will be able to move in before next Christmas. 

"We have been speaking to a number of high end leisure, retail, office and restaurant occupiers."

He said the development of the private pool and gym is crucial to delivering the 'premium brand and destination we are trying to create'.

There has been some controversy over the use of the top floor as a new restaurant. Residents living around Richmond Green raised concerns about the number of people it will attract and noise levels, however these were considered a rejected by the Council's planning committee.

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Looking ahead, Mr Cooper said the future of rooftop restaurant is still to be finalised, adding: "There has been interest from restaurants for the top floor, but there has also been interest from office occupiers for this space.

"It has not been decided at this point in time what the use for the top floor will be but we will continue negotiations with potential tenants."

The success of the scheme is considered vital to the future of Richmond town centre, which has lost a number of stores, particularly fashion outlets.

The closure of what was House of Fraser, formerly Dickins & Jones, with its many floors of clothing, furniture and beauty halls, hit many other retailers because it led to a reduction in footfall in the town. Bringing it back to life with the office workforce, gym-goers and shoppers will inevitably boost employment and the economy.