Contact: Simon Cramp, ext 6723

1. Summary

1.1 This report sets out progress on the scheme for Yateley town centre, being jointly undertaken by the County Surveyor and County Planning Officer, to implement North East Hampshire Transport Strategy (NEHTS) policy and the Regeneration of Older Urban Areas (ROUA) programme.

2. Introduction

2.1 The emerging B3272 Route Management Strategy and the ROUA programme have common objectives for the town centre area of Yateley. Improvements in safety for all road users, integration between alternative modes of transport, traffic management to encourage through traffic to use more suitable routes and tackling severance are central to the Route Management Strategy and the regeneration of Yateley town centre.

2.2 The NEHTS programme for 2002-2006 includes £350,000 for the B3272 Eversley to Blackwater (including Yateley town centre) scheme. The ROUA programme for 2001-2003 has set aside £25,000 for technical studies to support the regeneration of Yateley town centre. A further £22,000 has been made available by the ROUA programme for a 'catalyst' project, subject to match funding coming forward from the town and district councils.

3. The Need for a Common Approach

3.1 Yateley is one of the main towns within Hart district with an important shopping function. Yateley town centre is surrounded by a large and popular residential area, with the B3272 road providing a good communication link along the edge of the county boundary and joining up Eversley, Blackwater and Hawley.

3.2 Yateley is a mix of village, town centre and suburb. Development along the B3272 road is low density, profligate with space and at best unremarkable in appearance. There is no unifying element to the dispersed `town centre' other than the mediocre quality of the built environment and the intrusiveness of Reading Road. The economic performance of the town centre has been affected by lack of investment, a decline in the overall standard of the environment and competition from the major shopping facilities at Camberley and The Meadows.

3.3 Yateley town centre now requires regeneration. The recent investment into high quality public buildings in the town centre should have served as a catalyst for change. However, the full benefit of these developments was unable to be realised because there was no clear vision for the contribution they could make to the vitality and viability of the town centre. It is important that opportunities like this are not lost in future.

4. Developing a Vision for Yateley

4.1 There is an urgent need to provide a strong planning and design framework for the town centre and its immediate environs so that current initiatives, future development and inward investment make a positive contribution to the local environment. The framework will put down a marker for high quality solutions for all development.

4.2 A Village Design Framework, integrating economic, social, environmental and transport issues, is now being developed with a range of partners. Setting out a long-term vision, owned and shared by the local community, the completed Village Design Framework will be adopted by Hart District Council as Supplementary Planning Guidance.

5. A Partnership Approach

5.1 The County Council is working in partnership with Hart District Council, Yateley Town Council, the Yateley Town Centre Management Group and the local Civic Society. Further links are being forged with voluntary groups. This inclusive approach will ensure that the developing Village Design Framework is fully informed by local issues, concerns and aspirations, and that the emerging B3272 Route Management Strategy and ROUA project are fully integrated.

5.2 The implementation of future 'catalyst' projects in support of this initiative has been boosted by a contribution of £16,000 from the town council. It is hoped that a similar level of investment will be received from the district council, which has so far committed £5,000 to the project, in order to utilise the full amount of funding made available by the ROUA programme.

Recommendation

That Members note the progress being made on the Yateley town centre project to implement the North East Hampshire Transport Strategy scheme and the Regeneration of Older Urban Areas programme.

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