New vision for Bodmin unveiled to help revitalise town and attract more visitors
The new document includes creative workspaces, planting, art installations, an amphitheatre and activity hubs
A new vision for Bodmin has been unveiled with plans to breathe life back into the town and attract more people in.
Creative workspaces, planting, art installations, an amphitheatre and activity hubs have all been included in a new document setting out Bodmin in 2030.
With bold artists’ impressions showing people taking part in activities across the town centre and new outdoor cafe areas the document has been created following recent public consultation.
A charrette event was held with various meetings and workshops with different age groups to draw up a combined vision for the town in the future.
Among the ideas put forward were: “Make far more of Bodmin’s unique Cornish cultural and built heritage; co-ordinate the array of visitor attractions to focus on Bodmin and encourage more people into the town centre all year round; reduce dominance of the car in Fore Street and generate a diverse and vibrant mix of shops, cafes and residential, community and business uses.
“Bring more greenery into the town centre and improve the look of buildings and shopfronts; create an accessible network of streets and alleyways with a range of quality places and spaces to linger and enjoy through the day and into the evening, and; improve local education, skills training and job opportunities for the local community.”
As a result a new town centre action plan is set to be drawn up to look at how some of the ambitions can be achieved. This will be funded by Cornwall Council’s town centre vitality funding and led by the Bodmin Town Team.
A document reporting back the findings of the charrette sets out some of the key ways which members of the public think Bodmin can be revitalised. These look at new facilities as well as drawing on existing areas of the town.
One raises the importance of the town’s community: “A wide cross section of Bodmin’s community participated in the charrette, with all ages and backgrounds, including many young people. Existing community activities should be supported and there is a clear need for more provision and access to appropriate, affordable community spaces.
“Many Bodmin residents have to cope with the huge challenges of living on low incomes and there is a need for more investment in skills and training, youth work and social care. The revitalised town centre must provide welcoming and safe spaces for everyone. Employment and training opportunities will need to be a key component of the high street supplementing more traditional commercial zones on the edge of town.”
The document suggests making the most of attractions in the town and providing better links between the town centre and the likes of the Camel trail and Bodmin Jail. There are also suggestions of making the main Fore Street more pedestrian friendly by not allowing vehicles through at certain times of the day.
And there are ideas for more green planting in the town as well as creating an amphitheatre in Priory Park. The document also says that many of the people who took part in the consultation also indicated that they want to continue to be involved as projects come forward.
One person is quoted: “You’ve got to have everyone ‘buying in’ to the area – you’ve got to get everyone on side to be able to make these changes.”