The Yeovil Refresh programme
The programme aims to make fundamental changes to the town centre. This is a significant investment from the council and a range of key local organisations.
When developing the Yeovil Refresh programme, the Town Centre was considered under three key themes; these are ‘Public Realm’; ‘Development; and ‘Transport’. The Town Centre was analysed under these themes in terms of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and constraints. From this, a refreshed ‘Vision’ was developed to articulate the primary objectives of the study. The analysis and Vision then informed the identification of a series of potential interventions to bring about fundamental positive change to the Town Centre and lasting benefits to residents, visitors, and workers. We aim to provide a town centre which works for the 21st Century.
The Programme Vision
During initial development of the Yeovil Refresh programme, it was considered that the Vision is best expressed as a number of key statements or ambitions equal in importance. These key statements are:
- Increase quantity and density of residential development in town centre
- Support the hospital and college’s objectives for innovation
- Celebrate the town’s cultural offer
- Strengthen and consolidate the town’s retail centre
- Improve the number and quality of public and green spaces
- Ensure Yeovil is easy to get to and safe, convenient and attractive to move through
- Engender an ethos of healthy living
- Increase breadth of offer of ‘things to do’ to encourage people to spend more time in the centre
- Increase mix of uses to create vitality throughout day and evening
- Increase the number of diversity of employment opportunities
Making the programme a success
There are a number of changes that we will implement in the town centre that will help to make the programme a success. The work we will be undertaking is best summarised under each of the three main themes of Public Realm, Transport and Development. Below is a general summary of some of the work we will do.
In the central street will fundamentally change how you can move around making it easier for pedestrians to move around the spaces. At the bandstand and the Borough, we will create quality spaces that you can use.
We are aiming to make the central streets accessible for all users. This will mean the streets working differently to allow people to get around. We will be making it easier to get to the town centre whether by road , bike or on foot. We will improve the road network, extend the cycle ways and make sure a range of parking options are available. We aim to improve air quality by making the transport network better. We are also going to introduce new wayfinding systems to help people get around more easily.
Questions about the programme
If you have a question or something to say about the Yeovil Refresh programme, please use our online contact form to have your say.
