East Staffordshire Borough Council has announced that it will bring forward the next round of consultation on the key sites identified in the recently adopted Uttoxeter Masterplan.
Last week, an online question and answer session arranged by the Uttoxeter Online Facebook group founder Phil Irons, generated many questions which clearly demonstrates a strong desire from the community to influence future regeneration in the town.
George Allen, Deputy Leader for Regeneration and Planning Policy, commented: “Since participating in the Uttoxeter Online question and answer session, I have received a number of emails from residents in Uttoxeter concerned about the priority areas the plan highlights. Because of this direct contact from residents I have decided to set out further consultation on those areas which residents are most concerned about. Once restrictions are lifted, ESBC will open general consultation with residents in Uttoxeter which will also include face to face open days hosted in the town. Clearly this will need to be done once it is safe to do so but I hope residents agree this is the right thing to do and I look forward to their views and opinions about redevelopment of these key sites.”
Any active progression of the adopted Masterplan will not be pursued until this next round of consultation is complete.
Duncan Goodfellow, Leader of the Council, said: “We recognise that regeneration is an area where people feel strongly, and we need to ensure that Uttoxeter is fit for a post-Covid world, but also one where shopping habits and behaviours have fundamentally changed. Our town centres need to be repopulated and re-fashioned as community hubs, including housing, health and leisure, entertainment, education, arts, business/office space and some shops. The key sites identified in the masterplan all contribute to these individual areas and we want to hear residents views on how each of these sites fit that vision in detail by bringing forward the next stage of consultation.”
Public consultation cannot take place during the Pre-Election (Purdah) period which starts on the 23rd March for the 6th May elections so dependent on the lockdown restrictions in place at that time, the Council expects the consultation to begin during May, but will only commence once face to face consultation is practically achievable.