Celebration Mile Update
After consulting with various official groups and Boards and a drop-in session in March, Sedgemoor District Council’s Executive as the accountable body for Bridgwater Town Board, has agreed to submit a £9m summary business case to Government for the fourth project under the auspices of the Bridgwater Town Deal.
The key ambition of the ‘Celebration Mile’ is to create a pedestrian and cycle friendly route from the railway station through to the retail core and on to the Northgate mixed-use commercial quarter, ending at the Docks, taking in the history of Bridgwater. The Celebration Mile will provide the golden thread that links key areas of the town centre together along with linking several Bridgwater Town Deal projects providing better access ensuring their success in the future. Investment of Town Deal funding will support the delivery of significant public realm improvements including the creation of new places and spaces, shared areas, paving, lighting, street trees, public art and improved signage. The Celebration Mile project has been a feature of the Council’s Local Plan and Bridgwater Vision since 2009 and is split into three separate elements – Angel Crescent, Clare Street and Eastover.
The capital investment required from the Town Fund is £8.5m. Sedgemoor District Council has also previously invested £160,000 towards the technical feasibility work and is committed to provide a further £200,000 via the S106 agreements for the economic cost of congestion money as a result of Hinkley Point C.
A further £500,000 of funding has been allocated from the Town Fund for “animating the town centre” and support economic recovery through a coordinated programme of events and activities to attract visitors and support local business.
The event programme will be overseen by the Bridgwater Cultural Partnership with governance support from SDC and Bridgwater Town Council. The Bridgwater Cultural Partnership will be strengthened by the appointment of a full-time Event Co-ordinator post for just over 3 years form January 2023 to March 2026.
The summary business case will be submitted to the government who have three months to respond.
Background Information
Bridgwater was one of 101 towns asked by the Government to come up with plans for sustainable regeneration over the next 30 years. The proposals submitted have been overseen by the Bridgwater Town Deal Board comprising representatives from all tiers of local government together with community and business partners; all committed ambassadors of Bridgwater and its economic potential.
Projects approved by the Bridgwater Town Board are:-
- Bridgwater Tidal Barrier
- Dunball Junction
- Walking and Cycling Links
- Bridgwater Arts Centre
- Bridgwater Town Hall Theatre
- Engine Room 2.0
- Bridgwater Step-Up
- Town Wardens
- Celebration Mile
- Bridgwater Docks Regeneration
- Bridgwater Carnival
Full details of the projects can be found on the opens in a new windowSedgemoor District Council website.
Bridgwater Town Board is made up from representatives from local government, community, organisations and administered by Sedgemoor District Council as the accountable body. Government rules say that the Board is chaired by an independent person from the private sector. For Bridgwater Town Board this is Paul Moore.
The Board is constituted from the following organisations – Bridgwater and Taunton College; Bridgwater College Trust; Bridgwater Town Council; Bridgwater Chamber of Commerce; EDF Energy (Hinkley Point C); Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership; KMW Commercial Properties; Magnox; Member of Parliament for Bridgwater and West Somerset; Network Rail; Sedgemoor District Council; Somerset Community Foundation; Somerset County Council; Somerset Federation of Small Businesses and YMCA (Dulverton Group).
Note to Editors: Bridgwater Town Board is made up from representatives from local government, community, organisations and administered by Sedgemoor District Council. Government rules say that the Board is chaired by an independent person from the private sector.
The Board is constituted from the following organisations – Bridgwater and Taunton College; Bridgwater College Trust; Bridgwater Town Council; Bridgwater Chamber of Commerce; EDF Energy (Hinkley Point C); Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership; Jacobs Engineering Group; KMW Commercial Properties; Member of Parliament; Network Rail; Sedgemoor District Council; Somerset Community Foundation; Somerset County Council; Somerset Federation of Small Businesses and YMCA (Dulverton Group).
