Multi-million pound bid to transform Somerset tourist hotspot
Details of four schemes in Cheddar, Highbridge and Shepton Mallet have been made public, with central government to make a ruling on the regeneration projects later this month
Details of four schemes which could transform a Somerset tourist hot spot have been made public ahead of a ruling by central government.
Mendip District Council and Sedgemoor District Council jointly submitted a £19.3m bid to the government’s levelling up fund in early July for regeneration projects in Cheddar, Highbridge and Shepton Mallet.
The bid – which has attracted criticism from Wells MP James Heappey – is currently being assessed by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC), with a decision on whether to grant the funding being expected by the end of January, according to the Financial Times.
Shortly before Christmas, Sedgemoor’s full council approved detailed proposals of exactly how Cheddar would benefit if the bid was successful.
Here’s everything you need to know about the major schemes which could transform the village’s fortunes.
Artist's impression Of Improvements To The Tweentown Roundabout In Cheddar
Why does Cheddar need levelling up?
On the surface, Cheddar is one of Somerset’s most popular destinations – with the council estimating that Cheddar Gorge handles around 500,000 visitors a year and accounts for 49 per cent of all tourist day trips to Somerset.
However, the coronavirus pandemic has had “substantial financial implications” for the village and the wider Sedgemoor area.
A council spokesman said: “Communities such as Cheddar with a high dependence on visitor expenditure have suffered disproportionately, and the absence of spending has contributed to the challenges facing tourist and urban centres.
“The long-term damage to tourism and leisure businesses requires a coordinated response, not only to support short-term recovery but also to position the sector for sustainable growth.”
In addition to the pandemic, Cheddar and the roads through and around the gorge have “poor public realm and antisocial vehicular behaviour” (i.e. badly behaved motorists) which are putting visitors off.
With Cheddar having to handle substantial housing growth in the coming years – including the Oak Park development at the northern edge of the village – the need to solve these problems and encourage the creation of new jobs is of paramount importance.
How would the levelling up funding be spent?
The £19.3m bid covers projects across Cheddar, Highbridge and Shepton Mallet – but we don’t yet know how much money would be allocated to each settlement if the bid was approved.
However, the council has published details of projects which would drive the regeneration of Cheddar – along with the five projects earmarked for Highbridge town centre.
The four projects earmarked for Cheddar are:
- Enhancing the Tweentown road network and improving the Cliff Street car park
- Enhancing the Cheddar Gorge and Caves car park
- Revamping the area around the former Cox’s Mill Hotel
- Improving Gough’s Cave and the surrounding land
What is planned for Tweentown?
The Cliff Street car park serves as the “main gateway” for visitors arriving at the Gorge.
The current car park has little information which would be helpful to visitors, and those wanting to visit the Gorge have to cross the busy Tweentown roundabout, navigating poor or non-existent pavements.
To address these issues, the car park will become the site of a “mobility hub”, with cycle parking and electric bicycle hire being provided in a bid to encourage active travel.
Existing footways along the B3135 Cliff Road and Tweentown will be widened to create safe space for pedestrians and cyclists, with a new crossing being created north of the roundabout to encourage safer travel to the Gorge and local shops.
Existing bus stops will also be enhanced, with improved tourist information points in and around the car park.
What will happen to the area around the Cheddar Gorge and Caves car park?
This car park on the B3135 Cliff Road “dominates the setting” and does not gel well with other elements of Cheddar’s public realm.
The street is a pinch point, with pedestrians having to contend with “very narrow footways” and struggling to access the retail offer on either side of the road.
To rectify this, the council proposes to implement traffic calming measures, including a priority section at the western end and widening the footways in front of the commercial premises.
A new footway will be provided on the eastern side of the street by relocating existing on-street parking, with new crossing points for pedestrians.
The car park itself and the nearby Daghole Square will also be revamped to become more inviting areas for both residents and tourists.
What will happen to Cox’s Mill?
Cox’s Mill is located in the middle of the Gorge area and is home to a number of small retail units, which are separated by the road from the Gorge’s ticket office.
The hotel building – which is owned by the Longleat Estate – has been vacant for many years, with demolition work beginning in September 2022.
Cliff Road widens at this point, leading to increased traffic speed, with no proper pedestrian crossings and a lack of cycle storage or electric vehicle charging points.
In addition to the hotel being demolished, a new public square will be created, with a new pedestrian connection between the site and existing public rights of way.
The existing car park will be reconfigured, with a potential reduction of spaces to create a ‘mini mobility hub’ with cycle storage and electric vehicle charging points.
Further down the line, a new visitor’s centre could be created, alongside a prominent water feature which would tie into the Cheddar Waterfall.
How will the area around Gough’s Cave be enhanced?
Gough’s Cave is located in the upper Gorge area and connects the village to several major public rights of way leading up to the most picturesque views of the area.
The current footways are narrow and “intermittent”, with the beginning of the Mendip Way footpath often being “blocked by residents’ parking” and having no formal crossing point over the road.
There is limited cycle provision at the existing ‘pocket park’, with the existing buildings being of “low quality” and a number of pinch points on the narrow road.
To combat that, the gateway to the Mendip May will be improved, with an uncontrolled pedestrian crossing and new road surfaces to encourage drivers to slow down.
Existing footways will be enhanced with more cycle storage, along with measures to make it easier for coaches and disabled drivers to park in this area.
When will these projects happen?
If the levelling up bid is successful – and the resulting business cases are approved – each of the projects are expected to be delivered by the end of the 2024/25 financial year.
Since Sedgemoor District Council will officially cease to exist on April 1, these projects will be overseen by the new unitary Somerset Council.