Rawtenstall town centre masterplan opens for consultation
A new green spine along St Mary’s Way, a refreshed town square and half a dozen development sites all form part of the masterplan currently being consulted on by Rossendale and Lancashire County Councils.
Some of the ideas for the town centre including pocket parks and development sites. Credit: consultation documents
There are 10 priorities described in the paper commissioned jointly by the two authorities and written by Planit, with visuals by Virtual Planit. These include:
- Making the streets more vibrant and improving the market as a destination
- Increasing safety by improving lighting, crossing points, updating pavements
- Making the town a greener place by introducing more trees along St Mary’s Way
- Access to woodland trails and country cycle ways and new community gardens
- Remodelling traffic flows to be more user friendly and safer for public and private transport and pedestrians alike.
Public consultation began with a drop-in session yesterday. The next one is due to be held at Rawtenstall Library on Thursday 22 February from 4pm to 7pm, where officers from both councils will be on hand to answer questions and take on feedback. The draft masterplan can be seen online too.
Another image showing how the town centre could look if the masterplan is delivered. Credit: consultation documents
“Funding is available,” Rosendale said in its publicity material to accompany the consultation, “to deliver a number of priority projects during the initial development phase from central government Levelling Up funding allocated to Rossendale Borough Council and Lancashire County Council, along with additional capital funding from both councils. Further external funding will be sought to deliver further elements of the Masterplan over the coming years.”
Rossendale Council Leader Cllr Alyson Barnes, who is also lead member for regeneration, said: “The regeneration projects in Rawtenstall are all exciting ventures which will help make the Valley a better place to live, work and visit. They will also further cement Rawtenstall as a great destination to experience a country lifestyle with city benefits.
“The masterplan is important so that we can encourage further investment into the town centre and co-ordinate our public realm and functionality of the centre. It’s already a town with excellent strengths but we want to keep driving forward the economic success.”
Will you be pulling up the cobbles or will you be covering over
By Lawrence Doolin
Just think how many more pubs and bars they will be able to fit into the new masterplan!! Rawtenstall Town Centre must be down to its last 50 drinking places now.
At one time between the railway station and the main road to Burnley as far as the Whip & Kitten(!!) there were 20 places you could get a drink.
By Anonymouse
I think this is a huge positive expansion plan for Rawtenstall
By Caron Darlington
No kerbs. Make drivers guess where the road is. Problem solved.
By Fußgänger Zone
Love the cobbles as it gives the area real character. Parking on bank street is awful with inconsiderate drivers parking on both sides of the street. Introducing a one way system and measures to reduce traffic and increase pedestrian access would be welcome.
By Marc
They already used money to up date rawtenstall years back . Why are doing it again when Bacup needs money
By Anonymous
Rossendale Council want to stop pandering to the influx of outsiders and listen to the locals. If we wanted to live in a big town we would have moved to one ,we live here because it was a nice quiet area were everybody knows everyone .Sadly the locals are getting shoved out .
By Anonymous
Nobody really gets that there isn’t a lot cycling in this part of Lancashire unlike flatter places – mostly it’s uphill…..
By J Dean
Why isn’t main street either pedestrian only or one way. It is a accident waiting to happen. I myself have nearly been knocked over there.
By Anonymous
Ramsbottom could do with an update…please don’t let us down
By Anonymous
Surprise surprise, prioritising Rawtenstall over outlying and more in need areas such as Waterfoot and Bacup… I’d like to pretend I’m shocked 😂
By ectoplasm
Surely, if you intend to make Bank Street one way traffic this will add to the amount of traffic on St. Mary’s Way which is already congested several times a day. I don’t know why you think wider footpaths are the answer to everything! What about parking on Bank St. Being able to park outside shops is what keeps some shops open!
By Anonymous
I love this valley with a passion and the proposed improvements will be a welcome step towards making this great town even greater. Hopefully we will see improvements made to the cobbles on Bank street which are extremely hazardous. Thank you to all involved.
By Sarah Hartley
Driving along Bank Street is horrendous at the moment with many drivers ignoring the no current no parking signs to stop off for a Greggs pasty. Either enforce the current measures by ticketing the inconsiderate, make it one way or fully pedestrianise it.
By Anonymous