Shrewsbury Big Town Plan takes big step forward

The Shrewsbury Big Town Plan took a big step forward today as LDA Design were appointed to work with the three project partners Shrewsbury BID, Shrewsbury Town Council and Shropshire Council on the next phase of the Shrewsbury Big Town Plan.

LDA Design has been appointed to create a masterplan for the town - building on the Big Town Plan and visioning work to date, which included a public consultation in September 2017, where over 2,500 comments and ideas from the public were collected.

LDA Design is a creative consultancy which works at every scale in the UK and abroad, as master planners, urban designers, landscape architects, town planners and environmental planners. They were responsible for City Centre masterplans in Exeter, Plymouth and Gloucester and university master planning in central Cambridge.

Councillor Nic Laurens, Portfolio Holder for Economic Growth at Shropshire Council said: “Using LDA Design will accelerate the Big Town Plan’s ambition to identify investment potential across Shrewsbury which is key to the economic growth and sustainability of both Shrewsbury and wider Shropshire.”

“Our full involvement and commitment to the process, that will identify the drivers for growth, ensures that Shropshire Council can proactively pursue investment for the town, and invest ourselves if appropriate, as we have done recently in our purchase of Shrewsbury’s Shopping Centres.”

Alan Mosley, Leader of Shrewsbury Town Council says: “Working collaboratively on proposing a Big Town Masterplan makes so much sense. Not only does it help us identify what is needed for our town, but it ensures that we are all working together, alongside residents and all other stakeholders, to make it happen. The Town Council really looks forward to working with our partners and LDA Design on this very exciting project. With short, medium and long term goals we aim to ensure that Shrewsbury becomes an even greater place to live, work, visit and do business.”

Seb Slater, Shrewsbury BID Executive Director comments: “I am delighted that town centre partners have jointly appointed LDA Design to work on the Shrewsbury Big Town Plan. LDA Design will bring great experience of collaboration with local people and partners to the creation of a holistic and bespoke masterplan for Shrewsbury.”

Bernie Foulkes, Board Director LDA Design adds: “We are really excited to be working on the masterplan for Shrewsbury with the Big Town Plan Team. There is a real sense of momentum on the back of the Big Town Plan and a belief that Shrewsbury can genuinely lead the way for other English Market Towns, putting people and place first, as the way to attract investment. We look forward to being part of that journey.”

Shrewsbury Big Town Plan
The Big Town Plan will guide the development and priorities of Shrewsbury, ensuring as a town we are creating and making the most of opportunities, and are well positioned to manage current and future challenges.

The Big Town Plan is a new way of working in the town with diverse stakeholders from across the public and private sector coming together and putting the needs of people at the heart of our plan-making and place-shaping.

The Big Town Plan will ensure that Shrewsbury develops in a way that is complimentary of, and sensitive to, the place that it is today. It is vital that the identity of Shrewsbury, the place in which our businesses and residents trade and live, and visitors spend their precious free time, is curated and managed.