Swaffham: Plans laid out for next ten years
MORE than 80 people attended the launch of Swaffham's Town Plan, setting out the town's needs over the next ten years, at the community centre on Friday evening.
Swaffham Town Council has been working with the Iceni Partnership for the past two-and-a-half years to produce the plan, known as Advance Swaffham – a vision for the next decade, with project officer Dr Dave Bek at the helm.
Volunteers and paid staff have spent hundreds of hours carrying out research and looking into every aspect of life in the town to produce the plan, which it is hoped will act as a catalyst to bring in investment worth hundreds of thousands of pounds.
Data and information has been gathered through surveys and various consultations and, in total, more than 100 actions on which groups in the town will need to work together to achieve over the next decade have been detailed.
Four working groups, who had been looking at Swaffham's economy, environment, transport and social and community aspects, produced reports for the evening, at which former Government minister Baroness Gillian Shephard officially launched the plan.
The meeting heard that Swaffham needs to increase visitor numbers to boost its economy and should be doing more to promote its market town image.
It was also suggested that the Corn Hall in the Market Place could become a major attraction if its development was handled carefully and sympathetically.
Swaffham's strengths included its attractive and interesting built environment and its reputation for environmental awareness – but there was considered to be a lack of public open space near the town centre and inadequate cycle routes.
Suggested improvements included making the town plastic bag free, reducing levels of concrete and increasing plants, grass and trees, introducing cycling and walking initiatives, and providing better signs and visitor information.
Better public transport links were needed and improved traffic management measures would enhance the town's economy and environment, it was claimed.
Summing up, David Wickerson, chairman of the Town Partnership Committee which has coordinated the work, said that some quick wins in achieving these objectives were needed to maintain the momentum.
He was confident that Advance Swaffham would act as a springboard and improve the town's chances of getting substantial funding and investment in the next decade.
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Monday 28 May 2012
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