Swadlincote Conservation Area

Town Centre Masterplan: Results of a public Consultation

There was a good level of response to the Councils public consultation exercise in March 2006. There was a general consensus in support of the ideas for improvement and lots of helpful and constructive suggestions were made. All these comments, supportive and otherwise, along with the views of key stakeholder groups will help to guide the development of the designs into a masterplan for the future.

More than 370 people attended the exhibition and 135 questionnaires were completed. In addition there were 39 ‘post it notes’ containing people’s views. The vast majority of respondents were residents in Swadlincote (73%), with people who work in Swadlincote the second highest group (16%). Other people who responded were visitors to Swadlincote (1%), people representing an organisation (4%) and shopkeepers (6%). The results of the consultation are summarised briefly below.

On the whole the response was very positive towards the ideas for improvements to town centre streets. People recognised that Swadlincote needed to be more attractive to visitors, that The Delph had great potential and an overwhelming majority felt that proposals should capitalise on Swadlincote’s heritage assets.

A large majority of people agreed with the principles on which the ideas for improving the town centre were based. Improving the segregation of pedestrians and vehicles was popular, as was maintaining the existing restricted vehicle access and keeping on street parking for disabled badge holders. People generally agreed with removing clutter and keeping street furniture to a minimum but the idea of using contemporary street furniture wasn’t universally popular. The proposed curved steps in The Delph produced a mixed reaction. Some thought the steps were an excellent idea and a good focal point, whilst others raised concerns for those with mobility problems and pushchairs. Concerns were expressed about introducing raised kerbs for the same reason. However a greater number of respondents agreed than disagreed with reintroducing raised kerbs and road surfaces on Belmont Street, Midland Road and West Street and Market Street.

There was broad agreement that existing levels of pedestrianisation should be kept and the current hours of traffic exclusion are about right but a significant percentage thought that the hours should be extended. Most people were against more on-street parking in the town centre.

More greenery in the town centre was generally well received and pocket parks welcomed with the proviso that they are well maintained. There was a general consensus that town centre seating is important and should be retained but the bollards get in the way and look ugly. There were a few requests for a piece of public art that would reflect Swadlincote’s heritage.

Other general concerns about the town centre included the variety and quality of shops, the quality and scale of the market, safety of alleyways and lack of CCTV.

A breakdown of the different respondents shows that shopkeepers have some differences of opinion with the other groups. All of them were concerned about untidy areas between buildings and uninviting approaches to the town. Fewer wanted to keep the existing pedestrianisation, they were not generally in favour of extending the hours of traffic exclusion, A higher proportion of shopkeepers felt that that raised kerbs and a road surface should be reintroduced across the town centre. 

A more detailed summary

The following plans were exhibited at the exhibition 

Please note that the files below are large and may take some time to download

Street improvements:

Key plan (2.56mb)
The Delph (2.42mb)
High Street (4.08mb)
Other sites (3.06mb) 

Development Sites:

The Delph (3.50mb)
Midland Road (1.60mb)

Background to the exhibition

South Derbyshire District Council began consulting local people about improvements to Swadlincote in 2000 publishing the ‘Swadlincote Town Centre Vision and Strategy’ in February 2001. This strategy set out a wide range of proposals, some of which have already happened such as the shop fronts improvement scheme, the establishment of a heritage centre and bus station improvements.

The next stage was to put into action ideas for improving town centre streets including:

• repaving
• ridding the streets of clutter
• giving the town a better sense of arrival at approaches and ‘gateways’
• improving the town’s image in order to encourage further investment and growth
  

An urban form analysis and consultations with key community groups guided the ideas for improvement presented to the public at the exhibition in March.  The document is available here (right). Please note that the files contain maps and are therefore large and may take some time to download.

Taking peoples views into account the ideas are now being developed into a masterplan, which will include detailed costings to enable the Council to plan ahead for a phased implementation.  Once adopted by the Council the Masterplan will form the basis for improvements over the next ten years and beyond.




Consultation at Sharpe's Pottery with key stakeholders

Following the completion of the Masterplan the first phase of implementation, which will comprise £350,000 of improvements, will be undertaken before April 2007. The Council has been awarded £247,000 by the East Midlands Development Agency for this important regeneration work. This matches the contribution of £247,000 by William Morrison’s Supermarkets plc made under the terms of a legal agreement with the Council connected to their new town centre super-store on the former Hepworths site.

Prosperity for all and strong leadership in the region are key themes of the South Derbyshire District Council forthcoming Corporate Plan. This important regeneration work will help the Council to achieve these aims. The Council will continue to look for funding for the phased implementation of the remainder of the Masterplan proposals.

Says Cllr Steve Taylor - ‘Our vision is to make South Derbyshire a healthier, more prosperous, safer place to live. The Swadlincote Masterplan will help us to involve the community in decisions about the town centre, safeguard our environment for future generations, support local businesses and create a climate for inward investment. Improvements to the physical environment of the town centre will help to develop Swadlincote as a key visitor destination within the National Forest.’

Says Doug Slater, Morrisons Development Surveyor - ‘Swadlincote is a town with a future. We are delighted that our contribution towards protecting Swadlincote’s heritage and improvements to its streets has enabled the Council to lever in additional government funding.’

Contact Details

South Derbyshire District Council
Planning Services
Civic Offices
Civic Way
Swadlincote
Derbyshire
DE11 0AH

Phone: 01283 595747

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