A bold vision to improve a key gateway area to Stroud town centre is planned – and the public can take a look later this week.
Stroud District Council will hold drop-in sessions at Wallbridge on Friday 20 May from 3pm -7pm and on Saturday 21 May from 9am – 1pm for people to come and see the exciting landscape designs for the area, talk to landscape architects about their proposals and give their thoughts to help develop the designs further.
Wallbridge is an important gateway into the town centre from the southern side by road, the various walking and cycle routes that cross the space and where the Thames and Severn Canal and Stroudwater Navigation join.
While the area is currently used for events and gatherings, its potential to provide a strong sense of arrival to the town, to welcome people, to be a space for picnics, festivals and events and an attractive place for people to walk, cycle and travel by boat needs to be maximised.
The District Council’s bid to the Levelling Up Fund in July this year is an opportunity to change that and transform this canal side location into a welcoming green space where people will want to spend more time.
A bold landscape concept design has been prepared in conjunction with key stakeholders to transform this public realm and to also create improved routes through the space from the south and west of the town through the provision of new, signalised, pedestrian crossings that will provide access to the town centre via the newly designed green space.
“Wallbridge is an important place, steeped in heritage with the canal running through and the old brewery walls in evidence but is currently unloved, car-dominated and in need of revitalising. This is a great opportunity to transform it into a vibrant, attractive green space to give people a greater sense of pride in their town and encourage more people into the town centre which in turn will boost the local economy and hence support jobs,” said Council Leader Doina Cornell.
As well as the drop-in session, people will be able to leave their feedback on a dedicated website from now until Monday 30 May, Please visit https://wallbridge.commonplace.is/ to give us your thoughts.
Stroud District Council is the lead partner in drawing up a bid, with partners including the Stroud MP, Stroud Town Council, Gloucestershire County Council, Network Rail, Great Western Railway, GFirst Local Enterprise Partnership and Stroud & District Chamber of Trade & Commerce.
