Residents asked to comment on Basingstoke town centre masterplan
Council say they're listening as they refine the suggestions made earlier this year
People living in Basingstoke are being urged to have their say on early ideas for the future of the town centre, shaped by what they said they wanted to see there.
Initial ideas as part of the development of a new masterplan for the area include opening up the town centre to make it more accessible, dialling up the town’s entrepreneurial spirit and ensuring the town centre is a vibrant hub during the day and night by creating opportunities for more community and cultural activities and more green spaces.
To ensure the town centre continues to meet residents’ needs and brings valuable jobs to the borough, suggestions include reimagining the existing Malls building to open up the area, creating opportunities for a range of uses in addition to retail including space for community and cultural use, space for entrepreneurs, education and modernising shopfronts at the Top of the Town while celebrating the borough’s rich heritage.
In addition to the existing town centre green spaces, the vision is to create a ‘greener’ feel through new open spaces in Church Street and in the Top of the Town as well as new planting throughout to improve the area’s biodiversity.
The bold short, medium and long-term suggestions, which identify a number of smaller projects that can be implemented quickly, are among those being put forward by Allies and Morrison, using feedback from residents, businesses, town centre partners and the borough council.
It follows work from HemingwayDesign which has included comprehensive engagement with residents, businesses and other groups and a detailed analysis of the town’s requirements, culminating in early principles for a town centre vision.
The top suggestions on how to improve the town centre included more independent shops, independent cafes and restaurants, more cultural space and better open space to hold events and festivals.
Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Economic Development Cllr Hannah Golding said: “It is vital that we develop a long-term vision to deliver our aspirations of ensuring our town centre is a top shopping, leisure and cultural destination that attracts people to the area during the day and at night. This is central to our priority of boosting economic recovery and meeting our ambitious climate change targets.
“Allies and Morrison and HemingwayDesign have used the feedback residents, visitors, community groups and town centre partners provided earlier this year to develop some early ideas, setting out opportunities to guide how we could develop the town centre. Although these aren’t proposals, the bold ideas aim to kickstart a debate about how we can ensure the town centre has a vibrant future.
“It is vital that we hear your views to help shape the emerging vision and masterplan and guide our work with partners and ensure that the suggestions being put forward sound like the kind of town centre that you would visit for years to come.”
Residents, businesses, organisations and visitors are being encouraged to take a look at the early ideas being put forward and share their views by completing an online survey at www.talkbasingstoketowncentre.co.uk until Friday 12 November 2021.
Following the latest public engagement, HemingwayDesign and Allies and Morrison will finalise their proposals, including technical testing and feasibility work, publishing a final vision and masterplan later in the year.
A decision on whether to adopt a new strategy for the town centre will be taken by councillors in spring 2022.