Pedestrianisation £12.5m plan for new public space
KINGSWOOD town centre is set to undergo major changes in a £12.5million scheme. South Gloucestershire Council announced it has secured the Government funding for a project proposing the pedestrianisation of Regent Street.
The plans could see Park Road’s derelict former church, the Grade-I listed Whitfield Tabernacle, restored as a “performance arts centre and cultural cinema”.
They also include “the creation of a new public open space, ushering opportunities for markets, performance arts and cultural events”.
The council expects there to be new green space from a redevelopment of the Grade-II listed Masters Church.
Masters Church and Chapel House, also Grade-II listed, are part of the Whitfield Tabernacle Conservation Area, which is planned to be accessible from Regent Street.
The council says the funding will allow traffic to be rerouted from Regent Street, while promoting walking and cycling, though specific details on the changes are yet to be released.
It believes pedestrianisation will bring “a quality public space for activity and strengthen the links between Kings Chase Shopping Centre, Regent Street, the Tabernacle, and Kingswood Park”.
Banning traffic from Regent Street was supported by 67 per cent of people in a survey this year, the council added.
It hopes the Tabernacle revamp will see “an exciting new offer in family and evening entertainment for Kingswood”.
The council says it will release more information “in due course” for a public consultation. It did not give a timeframe.
Council leader Councillor Toby Savage praised the “unprecedented scale of investment” in Kingswood town centre.
He said: “It is timely in so many ways as we do everything we possibly can to support our town centres facing the extreme challenges of declining high street retail, internet shopping boom and the Covid-19 pandemic.
“I have been delighted to see urgent stabilisation works already happening to the Tabernacle alongside the Masters Church redevelopment, and I am extremely excited about the opportunities we have to lead regeneration by acquiring empty and underused properties at a time where the private sector is not in a place to do so.
“I hope we can extend and apply our success in securing this scale of funding and this approach to masterplanning to support our other town centres.”
Kingswood MP Chris Skidmore says he helped secure the funding, alongside the council and West of England Combined Authority.
He said: “With so much local ambition for a positive future of Kingswood town centre that respects our proud heritage, I am focused on ensuring there is enough resource to ensure they come to fruition and pledge to continue campaigning for further investment and support for our area.”
It is timely in so many ways as we do everything we possibly can to support our town centres facing the extreme challenges of declining high street retail, internet shopping boom and the Covid-19 pandemic Councillor Toby Savage