FUNDS have been ring-fenced by Westbury councillors for plans to modernise the town.
Members of the policy and resources committee voted unanimously in favour of the ‘Redefining Westbury’ town strategy which sets out the council’s priorities and related budget allocation until 2024/25. The strategy sets out what the town wants to achieve and how this will be done.
Chair of the working group, cllr Gordon King, proposed adoption, saying, “This has been through several draft forms and has come to this final version. We can use this to bring our business plan to the attention of everyone in the town.”
Cllr Ian Cunningham seconded and P&R chair, cllr Ward Jones, recorded thanks to the working group for an “excellent piece of work”. Members voted unanimously in favour.
The document is a blueprint for what the town council will focus on over the coming year.
Town clerk Deborah Urch said, “Our vision is to ‘Redifine Westbury ’through six priority areas:
1. Building a single engaged and empowered Westbury community.
2. Protecting and enhancing the town’s environment for the enjoyment of all.
3. Building on the town’s heritage.
4. Make it a natural home for families.
5. Sustaining, developing and promoting the town’s economy and employment.
6. Publicising all that we do, our achievements and failings.”
Amongst the aims are to encourage more people to become involved in the town; build on successful Westbury events; tackle litter and dog fouling and preserve the natural environment; preserve and celebrate the heritage of the town; lobby for better housing; seek to gain more control over local planning issues; and work for business growth, the creation of jobs and improved infrastructure.
The Redifining Westbury strategy will work alongside the Vision for Westbury document which was given the green light last month.
The Vision for Westbury is the blueprint for what the council will focus on over the coming years and includes a wide range of ideas and proposals which could transform the town.
Proposals include reducing traffic through Westbury; improving the town centre, better provision for cycling and walking; the planting of more trees and schemes to enhance the environment; developing the economy; building on the town’s heritage and improving and supporting local events and activities.
The plans were outlined in a 100-page report – drawn up by leading architects Allies and Morrison – which has been unanimously accepted by councillors.
For next time:
Progress on the Neighbourhood Plan has continued throughout the pandemic, with a steering group working hard to give everyone who lives and works in Westbury a positive and proactive way to influence future planning and development decisions.
Surveys, research and fact-finding have been undertaken to produce a clear picture of how Westbury functions as a place, its characteristics and special qualities, the challenges and opportunities, and to identify what changes are expected or needed.
Phil McMullen, the council’s project lead for the plan, said, “This evidence must combine views of the local communities and of everyone with a stake in the future of the area.
“It’s recognised that the delivery of infrastructure to support new homes is a key local concern. “
The desirable infrastructure items that people have said are important to the town include: crossing of the railway line, to both alleviate traffic from Oldfield Road and provide a connection to Mane Way, and to ensure direct and sustainable links for the community of the new housing area; improvements to enable more cyclist and pedestrian use of Station Road to deliver a connected sustainable transport network, and safer routes for pedestrians and other cycle links away from the A350.
The re-provision of any sports pitches or other leisure facilities where triggered by development was also important, and town centre improvements.
Phil said, “A key policy area is housing. Neighbourhood Plans cannot block future development, but they can allocate new housing land to meet local needs, and influence housing quality and character.
“A key next step in the process will be to decide if the Neighbourhood Plan should allocate housing and where it would go and what community benefit it may provide.”
The plan can also protect or identify new community facilities, identify green spaces to be protected from any future development proposals, protect and enhance local heritage, and more, adding local detail to the planning system.
The town council, with the support of the steering group, have used the gathered evidence to respond to Wiltshire Council’s consultation on the Local Plan, which sets the agenda for development across the county for the next 15 years.
Phil said, “A key issue is how to protect our quality of life and environment whilst providing affordable homes to meet local housing needs.
“The aim is to consult the community on the draft Neighbourhood Plan in the late summer / early autumn of this year.”
