Agenda item

To receive a presentation from Tim Mills, Head of Economy, Planning and Strategic Housing on the Aldershot Town Centre Strategy (copy attached).

The Board welcomed Tim Mills, Head of Economy, Planning and Strategic Housing who was in attendance to give a presentation on the draft Interim Aldershot Town Centre Strategy. The context to the strategy had come from various sources, these included the Aldershot Town Centre Prospectus SPD - adopted in 2016, the community consultation ran by the Aldershot Civic Society in 2020, the High Streets Task Force’s reports and support and the Transition and Recovery Plan. The impacts of the pandemic and the acceleration in the demise of the high street had also had an influence.

 

The Interim Strategy had provided a platform to update the vision for Aldershot and thought more about communicating and developing the idea of what the town could be moving forward. Themes had been updated, based on what had been achieved since 2016 when the Aldershot Town Centre Prospectus SPD was adopted and what still needed to be achieved.

 

The vision for the town was proposed as a place where people felt at home and had made their homes. A town where people felt welcome and where families wanted to be. A thriving town centre that provided a range of services that were accessible to all and offered an experience to all demographics from the local community and visitors. A mix of independent and high street shops would provide employment opportunities and space to start new businesses and the Victorian and military heritage and diverse community within Aldershot, would be celebrated, maintained and developed.

 

Through work with the Aldershot Task Force, High Street Task Force, developers, property owners and the Civic Society, engagement with the community would be undertaken on the vision to develop a shared communications plan and ongoing campaign to tell the story of the “new Aldershot”.

 

The Board noted what was still to be done since the SPD had been adopted in 2016. It was advised that the SPD had been separated into themes, which had items outstanding, these included:

 

·         Theme 1- Revitalised and Diverse Town Centre Offer

·         Ensuring the correct mix of commercial floor space usage

·         Masterplanning forward thinking for other areas in the town such as Windsor Way

 

·         Theme 2 – Town Centre Living

·         Masterplanning for Princes Hall/Police Station – mixed use

·         Opportunities for quality residential conversions

 

·         Theme 3 - Accessible and Connected Town Centre with an Improved Public Realm

·         Connectivity study to assess accessibility/parking study

·         Public Realm – “Spaces make Places” - ensuring spaces/areas are right for the town and its residents

 

·         Theme 4 – An Improved Cultural Offer

·         Development of the Cultural Strategy

·         Re-introduction of events programme

 

·         Theme 5 – Affirming the Town’s Heritage

·         Implementation of heritage trials

·         Shopfront improvements to emphasise Victorian heritage

 

The Board noted the next steps which would be followed by engagement with Informal Cabinet and public consultation around community and public realm. The Board were asked to consider the themes and to do lists and how these fitted into the Council’s priorities.

 

The Board discussed the presentation and the proposed Strategy and identified a number of areas that it was felt were important and should be incorporated, these included:

 

·         Build on the strengths of the leisure offer – identify where there were gaps locally and consider opportunities in particular at the Princes Hall

·         Consideration be given to how the towns diverse culture could be promoted moving forward, not just it’s heritage

·         How housing developments could improve equity in jobs, income and health

·         Implementation of the Strategy and mitigation of risk

·         No obvious link to the Climate Change Strategy – should be at the heart of the document

·         Provision of lighting – consideration to light pollution and safety/perception of safety

·         Improved connectivity with the Wellesley development

·         Connectivity and redevelopment of the railway station

 

The points raised would be considered and where appropriate, built into the Strategy as it developed. In response to a query, it was noted that the consultation period would expect to run in the autumn.

 

The Board ENDORSED the proposed Strategy and thanked Mr. Mills for his presentation.