IDEAS to help regenerate Westbury’s town centre are emerging from the town’s ‘Vision for Westbury’ study.
These include joining up the High Street, Maristow Street, and Market Place to encourage shoppers to take in all the town centre has to offer, while producing a more pleasant and open environment to shop in.
The study reports that key to this would be removing the central rotunda so that people can see down from the High Street into Maristow Street, while increasing the shops at the library end of the High Street which would also help draw people towards Maristow Street and the Market Place.
Another idea is to change the direction of traffic flow through the high street, which would give shoppers the choice of short stay parking before reaching the main car park.
Increasing the use of the library, a centrepiece of the town, is also suggested, along with a lift to the upper floor to allow all users to get the most out of the building.
The Vision for Westbury initiative is also putting together ideas for the rest of the town. Developing the area around the station, and the need to improve links between the town centre, station, and employment areas, are also being identified.
While the study is still being completed, people will have the chance to see how it is emerging at an exhibition at the Paragon Hall on Friday 24th June from 2.00pm to 8.00pm.
The initiative has been taken forward by Westbury Town Council’s Town Centre Viability Group, the working group charged with exploring ways and means of enhancing the town to attract retail business activity and wider public usage.
The council has appointed a team of consultants, led by regeneration specialists Urban Practitioners. Their team includes planners, urban designers and architects.
They are researching the key issues at the moment to put together a picture of Westbury’s strengths and weaknesses. This looks at a wide range of subjects from the physical design of the town, through to the community infrastructure and the prospects for business, retail and homes.
The Vision and Scoping Study for Westbury is a joint project between Westbury Town Council, Mid Wilts Economic Partnership and the Area Board.
