Public flock to give views on Stratford bridge designs
Approximately 1,000 people attended the first two days of an eight-week consultation on five bridge designs for Stratford-upon-Avon.
An exhibition was based at Bancroft Gardens on Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday. The many responses over the two days do not take into account the consultation taking place through the web.
All of the bridge designs can now be viewed at http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/stratfordbridge where there is also the opportunity to complete a short questionnaire.
Cllr Chris Saint, Economic Development Portfolio Holder, said he was extremely pleased with the `confident and constructive’ views expressed. He joined Warwickshire County Council staff at the exhibition on the Bank Holiday Monday to help answer people’s questions.
He said: “ Many members of the public spent time discussing the details of five proposals with our staff, who were kept very busy over the weekend.
“I was pleased how all shades of opinion, from those who prefer to keep things as they are to those who positively support a new footbridge and cycleway took the opportunity to discuss their feelings confidently and constructively. Most importantly people recognised that they had the opportunity to make their voice heard and have their say.”
A number of concerns were raised over the future of the chain ferry as the proposed bridge would land where the ferry currently operates. It was explained that there is a proposal for the ferry to be relocated nearer the theatre.
There were also questions on the impact on wildfowl in the area and Warwickshire County Council will be speaking to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds as part of the consultation process.
The weekend’s exhibition marked the launch of the extensive consultation as part of a competition to come up with a world class design for a new pedestrian and cycle footbridge in Stratford-upon-Avon.
The public will have the opportunity to view and give comments on the designs at public exhibitions at locations around Stratford for the next eight weeks. The consultation period ends on October 27th.
The exhibition continue this weekend on Sunday and Monday, September 3 and 4 from 11am until 4pm in Henley Street; and on Thursday and Friday, September 14 and 15 from 3pm until 8pm at the Morrisons car park.
In addition a series of stakeholder meetings are being arranged with key groups within the town.
The idea and support for a new bridge originated from Warwickshire County Council’s Local Transport Strategy consultation in 2003. Ideas were developed at the same time to improve the riverside area. The concepts were subject to much public consultation and were adopted by Stratford on Avon District Council as supplementary planning guidance as part of the Waterfront Masterplan.
It is viewed by many as a way of improving pedestrian and cycle access, particularly improving links into the town from the recreation ground and vice versa, as well as providing a circular scenic walk along the river and an important link into the national cycle network.
As a new landmark development, it is also expected to make Stratford more attractive to visitors, tourists, local visitors and residents alike.
Following the consultation, a panel of judges will meet in November to make a final assessment of the five designs, by which time all stages of the competition will have been completed. The judges’ choice will be based on the feedback from the public consultation, along with technical considerations.
The bridge is part of the multi million pound World Class Stratford project, for which substantial funding has already been secured from the Regional Development Agency, Advantage West Midlands. Of the £7m secured to date from AWM, £2m has been ring fenced for the new bridge.