Celebration Mile wins £9m town deal funds

UP to £9 million could be spent on delivering Bridgwater’s Celebration Mile as part of the Government-funded town deal.

The Celebration Mile is envisioned as a pedestrian- and cycle-friendly route between Bridgwater railway station and the Northgate Docks, designed to make it easier to reach businesses and attractions within the town centre.

The project was one of 11 schemes identified within the Bridgwater town deal, which has received £22.6m of funding from central Government.

Sedgemoor District Council has now confirmed that £9m will go towards the project, pending the final business case being approved by the Government later this year.

Delivering the Celebration Mile has been an ambition of the council for more than a decade.

The mile begins at the railway station on Wellington Road and moves west along the A372 St John’s Street, crossing the A38 Broadway near the Mercure Hotel.

From there it moves along Eastover, over the River Parrett into Fore Street and Cornhill, before turning north along Clare Street and Angel Crescent.

The final section crosses Mount Street, passing through the Northgate Yard regeneration site and the neighbouring Brewery Field before ending at the historic docks.

The council’s executive committee approved spending the money last week.

Council leader Duncan McGinty said: “This is a great milestone for us on the road to the regeneration of Bridgwater. It shows the faith that both the Government and local organisations have in it.”

Different stretches of the Celebration Mile have already been delivered through other projects, many of which were set in motion before the town deal funding was announced.

Two planning applications have already been submitted for the Celebration Mile public realm upgrade, with one focussing on Clare Street and the other on Eastover.