Plans for revitalising Shrewsbury to be developed in next stage of Big Town Plan
A series of masterplans for revitalising six key areas of Shrewsbury are set to be developed as part of the town’s Big Town Plan, after specialists were today invited to bid for the work.
A tender has been published by the partners behind the Shrewsbury Big Town Plan – Shrewsbury BID, Shropshire Council and Shrewsbury Town Council.
The six areas sit within and adjacent to the town centre (see notes) and are those that the Big Town Plan identifies as providing the biggest opportunities to grow and revitalise the town.
The aim is for the six masterplans to identify ways to change the way land is used in these areas, taking into account the contribution these areas have to the delivery of wider growth and connectivity opportunities in the town.
The plans will be supported by a ‘movement and access strategy’ that will consider how residents, visitors and businesses travel into, and around, the town centre – alongside a delivery and implementation plan.
Applications for the contract – which is valued at up to £89,000 – can be submitted up to 30 August 2019, with the contract set to run from September 2019 to March 2020.
The invitation to tender for the work can be seen here.
Peter Nutting, Leader of Shropshire Council and member of the Big Town Plan board, said:
“We’re looking for a specialist team that can produce a series of concept masterplans for these six key areas of Shrewsbury. This exciting and important work will enable the Big Town Plan Partnership, landowners and investors to make investment decisions that will bring forward work to develop, grow and revitalise the Big Town Plan area, and also guide developers on suitable land uses.”
The tender launch has coincided with the appointment of a chair of the Big Town Plan partnership board, who will work on a voluntary basis to help drive the process forward.
David Parry, managing director of Wellmeadow Consulting, based in the centre of Shrewsbury, took up the role as chair on Monday 22 July [2019].
He said:
“A tremendous amount of work has already been done to bring the Big Town Plan to the stage it is at today. It has some very passionate partners in the shape of Shropshire Council, Shrewsbury Town Council and Shrewsbury BID.
“As the project moves in to the next phase, I am honoured to have been asked to work with this board to help them achieve the goal of making the plan a reality. Shrewsbury is already a great place to visit, live and work, and the Big Town Plan offers an inspiring view of how it can get even better.”
Helen Ball, clerk of Shrewsbury Town Council, said:
“Shrewsbury Town Council has always wished to see that the Big Town Plan is not just a document that sits on a shelf. This next stage of the process will see the Plan materialise into a series of actions that will be for the benefit of all who live, work and visit Shrewsbury. The Town Council looks forward to being actively involved in this process.”
For more information about the Shrewsbury Big Town Plan, go to www.shrewsburybigtownplan.org.
Further information
(1) About the Big Town Plan
The Shrewsbury Big Town Plan (SBTP) is a collective vision and plan for the town that has been co-created by Shrewsbury BID, Shropshire Council and Shrewsbury Town Council following extensive engagement with the public and stakeholders. The visioning work undertaken through the SBTP sets out a collective ambition and highlights the need to maintain and enhance the vitality of the town centre.
The Plan has been finalised and agreed by its three key partners – and Shropshire Council has now recognised the Big Town Plan as evidence in support of the Local Plan Review, and the principle of the Plan as a material consideration in the regulatory planning process has been established.
(2) The six areas where a masterplan is required are:
1) Proposed Central Business District (surrounding the train station leading up to Castle Gates, and across to the Riverside).
2) Northern Corridor (leading to Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings from the Central Business District).
3) The historic quarter of the town including Wyle Cop, St Mary’s Street, Pride Hill, High Street and The Square.
4) West End, incorporating Mardol, Barker Street, Bellstone, Lower Claremont Bank, Bridge Street, St Austin’s Street, and Victoria Avenue and Quay.
5) The Riverside and Frankwell Quay areas, incorporating both sides of the River Severn as it passes Frankwell and Smithfield Road.
6) English Bridge, Abbey Foregate and Old Pott’s Way.
(3) The Shrewsbury North West Relief Road
A key development since the Big Town Plan has been established will be the delivery of the North West Relief Road and the movement and access strategy must incorporate the role this key infrastructure investment will make to the town, particularly the town centre.
