A MULTI-MILLION pound bid has been made to support the regeneration of Evesham Town Centre.
Wychavon has applied for £9million from the Government’s Levelling Up Fund to help the future growth and development of the town centre and attract further investment from the private sector.
The project has two parts to it. One focuses on helping get Evesham moving with a package of measures designed to reduce congestion, while the other focuses on creating a new heritage and visitor attraction that will also kick-start the development of the Riverside Shopping Centre.
The transport part of the bid includes:
6.4km of new pedestrian/cycle infrastructure
Improving 6.84km of existing pedestrian/cycle infrastructure
The creation of 12 new active travel routes, connecting existing residential and employment sites as well as 41 hectares of planned employment sites and 735 new homes planned within Evesham, Badsey and Offenham
Unlocking the National Cycle Network 442 (Worcester to Oxford) with a new A46 crossing
Real time information on bus journey times
Prioritising signals to give buses priority to make bus journey times more reliable
Increasing capacity at the A46/B4035 roundabout to ease congestion at an important gateway to the town
The visitor attraction part of the bid builds on Wychavon’s previous announcement to buy Evesham Public Hall. Under the plan the hall, ground floor and basement area, will be fully refurbished and remodelled as the new home for Evesham Arts Association.
As well as providing a home for an extensive arts programme, there would also be a café, rooms for hire and facilities for community activities including weddings and other functions.
Wychavon is also working with the team from the Story of Evesham to create a unique and innovative visitor attraction in the remaining part of the ground floor and basement area. It will be based on the town’s heritage and would complement Evesham’s existing heritage tourism offer.
A rent will be paid to us in return for the investment. Wychavon continues to work closely with Chase Commercial Ltd and both organisations on the project.
Successful applications to the Levelling Up Fund are expected to be announced in the autumn.
Coun Martin King, Executive Board Member for Town Centres and Council Efficiency on Wychavon, said: “While all our town and retail centres need help, there is a need for transformational change to support Evesham’s economic recovery that fits perfectly into the criteria for the Government’s Levelling Up Fund.
“We will obviously look for other investment opportunities, where appropriate, for other parts of the district but that’s why we have put forward Evesham on this occasion.
“If we’re successful with this bid then we have the chance to positively change perceptions of Evesham and build a stronger more sustainable town centre for everyone who lives, works and plays there.”