Blueprint for Stratford town centre’s future wants improved night-life, transport and more fun
THE foundations are being laid for a new town centre strategy for Stratford with ambitions for a thriving night life, improved transport, a farmers’ market and bit more of fun.
The vision, which has been created by Stratford Strategic Partnership and will go out for consultation, is divided into four themes: Town centre evolution; creativity and the arts; great vibe and a fun place, and ease of movement.
Under each theme are a collection of projects and ambitions, with Stratford District Council expected to lead on a number of the schemes and others falling to the likes of the county council, the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, the town council and the RSC.
In the town centre evolution section, the aim is to develop a masterplan for Stratford town centre based on a “series of interconnected community zones” each with their own identity. There would also be extra trees planted, a focus on getting more people living in the town centre above the shops and offices and a farmers’ market.
The vision would also like to see an indoor market area created and improvements to dilapidated shopfronts.
Under the ease of movement theme, the strategic projects include a multi-modal transport plan with the aim of getting cars off the streets, providing alternatives (such as cycling routes) and a “pedestrianised core”.
The long spoken about, but as yet unfunded, Bridge Street/High Street pedestrianisation scheme gets a mention as does a new bridge over the Avon. The draft document does put the bridge ambition in the difficult and expensive to achieve category.
There are also more achievable aims, such as improving park & ride, including adding a facility for people arriving in Stratford from the south.
When it comes to giving Stratford a bit more sense of fun, the ambition is to make better use of the town’s outdoor space with activities and events, such as outdoor theatre, street music and entertainment. At night that would see a range of after-hours activities, including a tapas-style café culture, late-night shopping and a nightclub.
Making even more use of the river is also mentioned, with increased on-water and by-water activities.
The Gateway Project, a key development for Stratford, is included with the stated aim that the proposed ‘world class Shakespeare Centre’ is also a Stratford visitor centre featuring the town’s social history.
Finally, the creativity and arts section wants a long-term arts strategy that looks to develop new ways of generating investment in the town. The draft proposals add that the strategy should encourage art everywhere so that Stratford becomes a ‘fringe’ town with an outdoor creative play area, arts events, live street music and arts-based nightlife.
There is also an ambition to stage a regular “large-scale arts event of national significance”.
The document is due to be considered by SDC’s cabinet on Monday (1st July).
A cabinet report says the strategy would be useful to help attract investment into the town.
It also adds: “The council has been identified as the lead organisation on a number of projects. The council will need to reflect on the appropriateness of this and may wish to respond to the consultation accordingly.
“At this stage, the endorsement of the draft strategy/prospectus by the council is simply to progress it to consultation. A separate report formally endorsing the strategy/prospectus for adoption will need to be considered by the cabinet in due course.”
