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Efforts to revamp an unsightly part of Sudbury town centre are due to be relaunched shortly – with a promise that the views of local organisations and residents will be a key ingredient to be considered in any final proposals.
The area of the town centre, which is owned by various landowners, south of St Peter’s Church and to the west of Great Eastern Road and which includes the bus station has been considered something of an eyesore for a while. Babergh District Council, which owns the bus station, has teamed up with Suffolk County Council to work with local groups and others to seek the public’s views on a number of potential options for the area.
Councillors on Babergh’s Strategy Committee will be debating the extensive consultation plans for the site this coming Thursday (June 18). According to Cllr. Nick Ridley, Chairman of the Committee, explained that the next six months offered a chance to really listen to what the community wanted – whilst remaining aware as to what can be realistically done with so many landowners.
Cllr. Ridley explained that “I am aware that there have been concerns that some earlier discussions at an officer level on what could potentially be done with the land suggested that one view had been preferred over the other. Although that was never the case, this is a chance for everyone to start again in an open and honest way”.
“Yet, the scale of the challenges remain high. That this area of land is neither terribly attractive nor very pedestrian friendly is pretty much accepted by everyone. However, there is less consensus as what should be done with the area and the aim of the Babergh/Suffolk Working Group is to actively listen to and engage with local people”.
If approved by Babergh councillors on June 18, the Working Group will launch a two-stage listening process, starting with meetings with Sudbury Town Council and then other groups such as the Chamber of Commerce, the Sudbury Society and the Sudbury Market Town Partnership throughout the summer months.
In light of the ideas coming out of these face-to-face exchanges, the second stage will see Babergh and Suffolk producing a short list of options upon which local people can view and give their feedback – both as a walk-in exhibition in the town centre and online.
A report will then be prepared with recommendations in the early part of 2010.
“Nothing has been ruled in and nothing ruled out. If we get the go-ahead on Thursday, this will be the biggest and best chance that Sudbury people have had in years to shape part of their town centre for the future” concluded Cllr. Ridley
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