Help to create vision for central Winchester
Local people are being invited to participate in creating a vision for the future of the Central Winchester Regeneration area.
Architects JTP have been appointed by Winchester City Council to create a regeneration strategy for Central Winchester and draw up a Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) for the area.
A key part of this process will be the Central Winchester Regeneration Community Planning Weekend on Friday 24 and Saturday 25 March at Guildhall Winchester, when local people will be invited to help create a vision for this important part of the city.
Community Planning is an opportunity for communities to actively participate in shaping their places and is a process being increasingly supported by civic and built environment groups up and down the country.
There is a difference between consultation and participation – consultation without participation is simply asking people to comment on what has already been drawn up by professionals. Participation in a well-organised community planning event brings the community’s knowledge and aspirations into the process at an early stage to co-create locally focused proposals and therefore deliver better, more contextual places.
Cllr Victoria Weston, Winchester City Council’s Deputy Leader, said:
We are delighted to be working with JTP together with residents, stakeholders and businesses of Winchester District on this fresh start to consider options and help shape the vision for Central Winchester. There has never been a better time for everyone to be involved in planning the places where they live, work and enjoy their free time.
The Central Winchester Regeneration area covers approximately 2.3 hectares in the heart of the city and includes the bus station, Friarsgate medical centre, Kings Walk and the Friarsgate car park, amongst other elements. The Council is seeking the comprehensive mixed-use redevelopment of this area to improve the quality of buildings and public space.
At the Community Planning Weekend local people can choose to take part in workshops, walkabouts and hands-on planning groups. There will also be an exhibition explaining the background of the site and design team members will be on hand to answer questions. The event will be open to everyone, with no need to pre-register.
Following the public workshops, the JTP team will analyse the outcomes and draw up an illustrated vision for the site for presentation back to the community on Tuesday 4 April.
The JTP team will then continue to work, with further community involvement, to produce the Central Winchester SPD. The aim is to produce a draft SPD in June 2017, with the target of adoption of the SPD by the Council before the end of 2017.
Charles Campion, Partner at JTP, said: I hope that as many people as possible will participate in helping to shape the new vision for Central Winchester. I look forward to seeing you at the Community Planning Weekend