Guildford residents showed up in their hundreds to public exhibitions to have their say on the proposed ideas. Discovering what they want for Guildford is now underway.
Ideas for key areas of development were up for consideration, such as a new riverside community park and streets designed to be better for pedestrians.
Consultation on the draft for the Town Centre Masterplan ended after six weeks on 16 November. The work needed to find out what residents think of the plans has already begun, and an update on its progress should be released in early 2016.
Councillor Paul Spooner, Lead for Planning and Regeneration has said:
“This process has involved many individuals, organisations and groups. Parish councils, residents associations, businesses, everyone has had the opportunity to review the proposals and contribute their thoughts and ideas.
“What we want to understand is whether the ideas put forward match local people’s ambitions for Guildford’s future. Early indications show we are on the right track.
“An important part of this process is extracting parts of the draft Town Centre Masterplan that will fit with the local plan. Although the eventual Town Centre Masterplan will not be a statutory planning document, it will be an important piece of work outlining our intention for future development. After the consultation results, we will then look to see what parts we should progress for the final plan.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank local people for sharing their views and taking part in this important next step in Guildford’s future.”
Councillor Matt Furniss, Lead for Transport and Infrastructure added that:
“We have met with many people to talk through the proposals and what has struck us is how passionate people are about their town’s future. I have sought to find out what local residents think of better pedestrianised access to the town. If this is what they want, as outlined in the proposed ideas, then we will seek to deliver a transport strategy to match along with our partners including Surrey County Council and the Highways Agency. The town centre transport and infrastructure improvements are a part of the overall proposals for the borough wide transport strategy.
“Our analysis of the feedback will expose what local people believe to be right for the town, the next stage will be for us to consider how we make change happen over the coming years.”
You can see further information on the proposed ideas for the draft Town Centre Masterplan and updates to the project by visiting www.guildford.gov.uk/tcmp
Image courtesy of Colin Smith under Creative Commons License 2.0