For use by BSE Town Centre Masterplan Ward Member/Working/Officer Group Members only - Please do not forward on
Bury St Edmunds Town Centre Masterplan
Pre Issues and Options consultation survey
WARD MEMBER AND WORKING GROUP MEMBERS TO COMPLETE BY 28 AUGUST PLEASE AND EMAIL TO:
Q1 About you
1a I am (please tick all that apply):
· A resident of Bury St Edmunds town centre
· A resident of Bury St Edmunds – outside the town centre
· A regular visitor to Bury St Edmunds to access services
· A provider of services in Bury St Edmunds
· A business owner/manager in Bury St Edmunds
· An employee in Bury St Edmunds
· A leisure visitor to Bury St Edmunds
1b I am:
· 11-18 years old
· 19-35 years old
· 36-50 years old
· 51-70 years old
· Over 70 years old
1c Do you consider yourself to have a disability?
Yes No
Q2 Traffic and parking in Bury St Edmunds town centre
2a How do you normally access the town centre?
· Bus
· Car
· Cycle
· On foot
· Train
2b Do you have any comments relating to walking, cycling, public transport, traffic and parking in central Bury St Edmunds?
Parking – this is currently an issue around congestion and lack of spaces but the changes to tariffs and status of the MSCP at weekends appears to have had mixed outcomes. The MSCP remains long term on weekdays but is hardly ever full whereas in 2015 it would be full by 1030am each day. There is a need to revisit the weekend restrictions of the MSCP but also longer term there is a requirement for more parking spaces to enable quick access for shoppers to our town centre.
Cycling – there is a good cycle path network from Moreton Hall but less so around the rest of the town. If cycling into town for work and/or leisure is to be increased further cycle lanes need to be created. Also enhance cycle storage facilities in the town centre would be beneficial
Railway – poor facilities at the railway station and a poor service into Bury. Public transport wise this is the achilles heel of the town. The fact that part of the track to Cambridge is single means that the number of services cannot really be increased, also considering the volume of goods traffic on the tracks
Bus – the closure of the bus station i.e. no human staff has been a retrograde step providing a reduced service which appears to be particularly detrimentally affecting vulnerable individuals within our community. The bus station building is quite modern and attractive to look at but is located in one of the “worse” parts of the town and which does not reflect positively to visitors what the town has to offer
2c What would you suggest could be done to improve these issues?
Parking – lots can be done to improve the current situation! But for my own mental health I won’t start to list them all here! But a new car park located close to the town centre (if not actually within it) is essential
Cycling – create further cycle ways i.e. safe cycling routes to provide access to the town centre from other residential estates on the outskirts of the town.
Rail – continue to lobby the D of T and Network Rail to improve the track and the station building and work with Abellio to improves passenger services to and from Bury
Bus – a need to consider providing a human contact point within the bus station whether volunteer or employee. The Master plan should consider investment/improving the top part of St Andrews St North (from Sergeants walk to the junction with Risbygate St)
Q3 Shopping in Bury St Edmunds town centre
3a Do you currently shop in Bury St Edmunds town centre?
Yes No
3b What could be done to improve the shopping experience in Bury St Edmunds town centre?
The creation of a link between the “old part” of town and the arc is essential if the town is not to be seen as two separate retail areas. I understand this link was within the original proposals of the arc development and am told that this specifically reassured business owners in the old part of town that the arc would bring benefits to all. In the annual benchmarking exercise that the BID commissions the lack of a link is always at or near the top of the list of things the public thing need to be improved in Bury
The service road that is St Andrews St South has been “tinkered” with over the years but the Master Plan process provides an opportunity to try and “get this road” right and reducing venhicular access considerably and providing temporary “barriers” at each end to prevent physical access and reduce the need for human enforcement
The paved area in the Cornhill (outside Poundland and Sports Direct) could be so much more attractive and a real positive focus for town centre visitors. This could be an attractive “square” for art, flowers/trees to be present and/or a location for performing arts and/or attractive seating that could be stored under the pavement for when the area is used for entertainment. This would require the market stalls in this location to be relocated but currently the presence of the market (just two days a week) is preventing this area being used to the maximum and it becoming a real focus of the town centre, which would have a positive knock on effect for the independent traders in St Johns Street.
A new retail area needs to be considered for the town with current vacancy rates being in the region of 5% and once a decision regarding Cornhill Walk is reached this figure is likely to be below 4%. In reality the vast majority of the current vacant units are far from ideal as retail units and in reality are unlikely to be ever occupied unless there are structural changes made to these units.
Therefore if the town centre is to grow and continue to be a magnet for local residents and businesses how can the retail and food and drink offer be improved and grown whilst occupancy of current retail units is so high. There needs to be some consideration given to creating more retail units in the town whether for national brands and/or independents (my preference would be for both) and possibly could be linked to the building of a new car park
As mentioned in my answer regarding buses the top part of St Andrews St North needs to be considerably improved as this is a very run down part of the town and could be visually so much more attractive. This may require the Council to use their CP powers but would then provide an opportunity to create something innovative and attractive in this neglected part of town and provide increased footfall for the independent streets close by.
Lastly, and this is very difficult for any of the parties represented in the Master Plan working group to address, is the ability to utilise vacant units on a short term basis as “pop ups” or possibly Community hubs i.e. crèches, information providers etc. We have one unit that has been empty ever since I have been in my role (Feb 11) and no attempts to try and liaise with the landlord to address this have been successful. Similarly Cornhill Walk is a problem for the town but owners of empty units appear to be completely oblivious to the negative impact empty units have. There is always sufficient interest to have these units temporarily occupied but no apparent willingness form landlords to facilitate this.
Q4 Leisure in Bury St Edmunds town centre
4a Do you currently use leisure facilities in Bury St Edmunds town centre (e.g. bars, restaurants, cinema, museums, parks, live entertainment)?
Yes No
4b What could be done to improve the leisure experience in Bury St Edmunds town centre?
Improve parking facilities near to the Theatre Royal as since the closure of the Shire Hall car park to the public there is no public car parks on that side of town.
I think a town centre gym for all would be a great idea but appreciate the floor space required would be very cost prohibitive.
I have raised the point previously with the Borough regarding a “public free outside gym” in a public area where anyone can sit on a variety of weather proof pieces of equipment to exercise. I have been abroad and these are located in parks or public squares. People use the equipment at their own risk, it is unsupervised but when I was in Spain I saw it being used by all ages.
I appreciate we are very weather dependent but more outside entertainment would be great whether it be music, theatre or other entertainment and involving participation form the public.
Beyond this I personally think the town centre “entertainment” opportunities are pretty good
Q5 Environment in Bury St Edmunds town centre
5a How do you rate the environment in Bury St Edmunds town centre (e.g. green spaces, planting, historic features, the overall character and appearance of the town)?
Very good Good Fair Poor Very poor
Please add any further comments below:
I would say this is pretty good already. As I have mentioned above I do think the paved area outside Poundland could be far better utilised and visually enhanced to make it an area that people want to visit.
The partnership between Bury in Bloom and the BID has led to the town centre being festooned with floral displays that greatly enhance the appearance of the town and this needs to continue and indeed get even better.
Any “revamp” of St Andrews St (North and South) should include visual improvements to enhance these areas of the town
I have frequently gone on record complimenting the Council in regards of their waste collection team and their efforts to keep the town clean and tidy but it could be even better. Walking in and out of the arc allows comparison and the town is not as clean and litter free as the arc but I emphasis it’s still cleaned to a good standard.
5b What aspects of the town centre’s environment could be improved, and how?
See above (5a answer)
Q6 Business and housing growth opportunities in Bury St Edmunds town centre
6a Do you think there are enough opportunities for new businesses (e.g. shops, offices, leisure) to open in the town centre?
Yes No No opinion
6b Do you think there are opportunities for housing to meet the growing need in the town centre?
Yes No No opinion
6c Do you think there should be opportunities for housing to meet the growing need in the town centre?
Yes No No opinion
Q7 The Bury St Edmunds Community
7a Do you think there is a sense of local pride in Bury St Edmunds town centre?
Yes No
7b What could be done to improve local pride in the town centre?
Try to engage our communities even more on projects, initiatives and to try and deliver the points they keep on raising as “weaknesses” of the town centre i.e. parking and creating a link with the arc.
The “Love where you Live” initiative led by Bury in Bloom appears to have been a great success but that is slightly more difficult to transplant into the town centre where there are less residents and apart from within the Medieval Grid, there are no clear communities within the town centre
7c Are there enough opportunities for community activity in the town centre (e.g. places for friends and community groups to meet, ways to bring people together)?
Yes No
7d Are there the right facilities and access for all ages and needs in the town centre?
Yes No
7e What could be improved about community facilities and opportunities and accessibility in the town centre?
My answer is yes but as always things could be even better.
How can this be achieved? I refer you to the numerous points I have raised above
Q8 Any other comments/suggestions
If you have any other comments and suggestions about Bury St Edmunds town centre please let us know below.
It is very easy to take a view that Bury town centre is pretty good and there are many other towns who would look at us with some envy but we must not be complacent.
One of the reasons the town has done/is doing so well this decade is down to the vision and commitment of SEBC during the middle of the last decade to improve the town centre and build the arc.
These decisions are not without pain but as can be seen with the arc development can lead to great improvements.
We now need to do this again to ensure we retain our place as a prominent retail and general visitor destination in East Anglia and need to consider creating a new car park, embracing pay on exit facilities in our car parks to encourage people to stay in town longer, create more retail units and improve those area in town that are either pulling the town down or if enhanced can greatly improve the town centre offer
Thank you very much for completing the questionnaire.
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