What you’ve told us so far
Phase 2
In March 2024 we engaged with residents, businesses and the wider community to share and test ideas for Phase 2, which build on previous engagement since 2020. The ideas covered for 4 key elements:
- enhancing the area through better placemaking, creating a more people friendly space and reducing the number of bollards
- creating a more accessible destination, with wider, more generous pedestrian crossing points, new accessible toilet facilities and improved blue badge parking
- extending the benefits beyond the high street to better connect local amenities
- longer-term aspirations, including but not limited to looking how to reduce the vehicle dominance in Front Street or the adoption of private frontages
These aim to:
- improve the visitor experience and promote businesses
- create a more family friendly and accessible destination
- improve the pedestrian character and reduce the dominance of the road and vehicles
- define a welcome space and central space within the shopping area to create a start point for future ideas and phases to further develop these in the future
- explore the future possibilities for more significant change such as pedestrianisation
Given the allocated funding alone won’t achieve all the community’s aspirations for the area, we also asked about people’s priorities, so we make the improvements that matter the most to you
A Joint Ward Committee Meeting and three drop-in sessions were held. 900 responses were received to the survey, with more than 5000 comments which were analysed and used alongside costing works to shape the Phase 2 scheme.
The results were reported to the council’s Executive meeting, Thursday 18 July. See the Front Street update report, which included feedback from the March public engagement.
The feedback showed the top 5 priorities were (percentage figures reflect how many respondents indicated this was a ‘high priority’):
- events and activities (73% considered this high priority)
- improvement to “Welcome Gateway” and entrance to main shopping area (69%)
- new central space (59%)
- review bollards (57%)
- feasibility study into the long-term aspiration to pedestrianise Front Street (51%)
Engagement responses produced a range of views however broad support for the phase 2 ideas was evident and caveated that further engagement on pedestrianisation of Front Street would be required, especially with local businesses.
Background
In 2020 we commissioned extensive engagement with residents, businesses and visitors to the area about what you loved about Front Street, Acomb and what needs to improve with over 1,200 responses received. In that consultation you told us:
In that consultation you told us:
- what you liked about Front Street
- community feel, convenient and varied shopping, free nearby parking, few cars in precinct
- the worst things about Front Street
- rundown appearance, don't feel safe, pavement uneven and in bad condition, problems with illegal parking, not enough variety of shops
- things that would improve Front Street
- more planting, more events and activities, better or more parking, improve or update appearance of the street, improve or repair pavement, more variety of shops and places to eat, more independent businesses
Following the Phase 1 highway works on Front Street, Acomb in spring 2023, there was a significant community response to elements of this work and recognised that further changes needed to be made, including reviewing the bollards.
Analysis of a petition recieved in 2023 further emphasised that people wanted trees and planters, level pavement, more seating, sit and chat, welcoming, accessible and inviting space, beautiful, colourful space, street designed for people, not cars, open up community space, less street clutter.
Throughout 2023 we spoke with to local representatives and stakeholders, to explore what might be achievable for Front Street with additional Phase 2 funding.
We comissioned external urban designers to develop the scheme with us, to act as critical friends to the design process, and bring place making expertise and longer-term ideas for Front Street, which will be designed to meet the aspirations of the local community.