Bristol Post

Yate Views sought on plan to breathe new life into town

- Sophie GRUBB sophie.grubb@reachplc.com Atrributio­n

YATE residents are being given the chance to shape a longterm plan for the town. South Gloucester­shire Council has unveiled a proposal to create more “safe and attractive” spaces in the town, which is home to 30,000 people.

A consultati­on launched by the council this week said: “South Gloucester­shire Council, along with its partners, are in the process of developing a masterplan for Yate, which sets out the long-term vision for improving the town.

“We live in unpreceden­ted times, with major new challenges that require a fresh way of thinking.

“In our approach, people and community are at the heart of this thinking, as changing behaviours in the way we live, work and travel will inform how planned changes will happen in Yate.”

The document sets out six themes to focus improvemen­ts on: community, movement, economy, environmen­t, town centre, and healthy and happy people.

On the town centre, the consultati­on document outlines an aim to “create more services in one, easy to access location”.

“Creating safe, attractive places for people to meet and gather” was another key focus, as well as “improving the range of things to do throughout the day and evening” and creating more housing.

Some reviews left anonymousl­y by residents on the site I Live Here are critical of Yate, with one person branding it a “hellhole”.

However, when the Post spoke to people in the town in March, another resident told us it was “definitely the nicest place in South Gloucester­shire” and had plenty of shops and restaurant­s to offer.

The town has rapidly developed in the past few decades, with Yate Shopping Centre among the central points in the centre.

The council’s vision for the town includes:

A new housing developmen­t north Yate

Improving Station Road so becomes “an attractive, lively street”

Creating more places to live and work to “attract the best talent”

Connecting the town with green areas, such as the River Frome, quarry site and the Common

» Reducing the need to travel by car

» Better facilities for both young people and the older generation

Creating new, accessible spaces

Residents and people who work in Yate can respond to the consultati­on by November 17, by filling in a 10-minute survey here.

Responses will help to shape a more detailed document called the Yate Town Improvemen­t Masterplan, which will be consulted on in draft form next year.

This will feed in to the wider South Gloucester­shire Local Plan, which will set out a blueprint for developmen­t in the district for the next 20 years. in it green

People and community are at the heart of this thinking, as changing behaviours in the way we live, work and travel will inform how planned changes will happen in Yate

 ?? South Cotswolds Gazette /SWNS ?? The Yate shopping centre is one of the developmen­ts made in the past few decades
South Cotswolds Gazette /SWNS The Yate shopping centre is one of the developmen­ts made in the past few decades

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