August 2022 update
Not currently progressing, the proposals have been passed from South Somerset District Council to the new Somerset Council to be considered for future delivery after funding opportunities are explored.
Project background
One of the projects is the enhancement of the town centre’s public realm (how the area will look and be used); the public realm improvement schemes will make the town centre feel more attractive for residents, businesses and visitors; they will help improve public perceptions, support existing businesses by encouraging people to visit and stay longer which all helps to create a vibrant town.
Wincanton town centre enjoys an abundance of attractive heritage buildings; improvements to public spaces, footways and road layouts will enhance the attractiveness of the overall town centre environment where much of the infrastructure is very dated and has been unchanged for decades.
Central High Street issues and opportunities
- Excessively narrow footway widths, substantially below recommendations for safe and inclusive access for all users.
- High vehicle spaces also create an unsafe and unwelcoming town centre experience for pedestrians.
Carrington Way issues and opportunities
- Existing public space is cluttered with street furniture and could be enhanced to provide a better space for café use.
- Junction is designed to give priority to vehicles and breaks pedestrian connectivity between the east and west of the High Street.
- Narrow footway widths at the centre of the town and adjacent to key pedestrian crossing.
Market Place issues and opportunities
- Currently Market Place is subdivided into space for parking, pedestrian circulation, seating and signage. Proposals seek to de-clutter and unify the space and to provide a strengthened visual connection with its impressive buildings. Opportunities for more flexible usage of the space are also considered.
- Mill street currently runs alongside and cuts across Market Place. Proposals seek to re-unify the space by narrowing road width, creating an extended raised crossing and shared surface, and reducing traffic speed.
- The B3081 is a key busy one-way route into the town. Proposals seek to narrow the road width to reduce traffic speeds and extend Market Place, whilst a pedestrian crossing would improve access to the public space.
- Potential to rationalise the arrangement of the junction and reduce its scale to increase pavement space, create better connection between Mill Street and High Street and improve road safety.
May 2022 update
Design revisions which Somerset County Council Highways are reviewing:
May 2021 update
The town centre strategy identified possible locations for public realm improvements and outline design were developed for the locations which formed the basis for a public consultation in late Spring 2021.
The public consultation provided valuable input into the next design stage which is prepared in liaison with Somerset County Council who, as the Highway Authority, must approve the schemes before they can be implemented. The focus is on bringing forward those schemes which bring the most benefit and can be delivered in the available budget. Designs for the following locations have been advanced through the technical design phase and subject to the necessary approvals should go into construction in Autumn 2022, with an anticipated build period of six months.
- Market Place
- Carrington Way
- Central High Street