Preston regeneration one step closer
News release dated 31 March 2006 about the consultation on draft planning guidelines for the regeneration of Preston.
Residents are being asked for their views on new planning guidelines for the regeneration of the Preston area.
“Anyone with an interest in Preston is invited to comment on the planning guidelines - tell us what you think.” (Anna Cronin, Director of Policy and Environment)
The guidelines, formally known as the 'Draft Preston Regeneration Supplementary Planning Document' (SPD), provide planning guidance to ensure that any future development in the area facilitates the regeneration of Preston, meets planning policies and improves the quality of life for local people.
Since 2004 the Borough Council and Surrey County Council have been working with consultants Urban Practitioners to prepare a 'regeneration masterplan' for the Preston area of the Borough.
The plan has now been published, and the next step in the plans to regenerate the area is to incorporate the Masterplan ideas and proposals into the Borough Council’s planning guidance.
Anna Cronin, Director of Policy and Environment said: “The Draft Preston Regeneration SPD builds on the masterplanning process undertaken over the last couple of years.
"The SPD provides detailed formal guidance to help developers interpret planning policy, which will be taken into account when regenerating Preston and determining planning applications.
“The regeneration seeks to:
- create a new community ‘heart’ for Preston, bringing together shops and services
- ensure sustainable development of the old De Burgh School site for housing
- refurbish, remodel, redevelop or replace some of the existing social housing
- improve footpaths and cycle routes within Preston and connections to the surrounding area
- improve areas of public space and the street scene and
- secure funding from new developments for improved community facilities.
“Anyone with an interest in Preston - local residents, businesses and community representatives - is invited to comment on the draft SPD. See what we are planning and tell us what you think.”
Improving the physical environment of the existing housing and tackling social problems in Preston are priorities in the Council’s 2006-2009 Corporate Plan under the themes of Regeneration and New Neighbourhoods and Self Reliant and Thriving Communities.
A number of specific sites have been identified for regeneration.
It is envisaged that the De Burgh School site would be redeveloped for housing, perhaps in the form of a large crescent with mews houses running along Burgh Heath, creating a mix of family homes and apartment blocks, including some affordable housing, to create a mixed community.
Areas of green space will be retained as public landscaped space with a tree-lined route from Marbles Pond to Burgh Heath.
Merland Rise and the recreation ground could be improved with:
- new pathways and landscaping to create a park-like environment
- a more direct link between Merland Rise Community Primary School and Merland Rise recreation ground, with potential for new development along the route and
- a better east-west link across the recreation ground for pedestrians and cyclists.
In the Longfield Crescent area there is potential to refurbish or remodel some of the existing housing. Any proposals that affect individual properties, whatever the tenure would be subject to further detailed consultation with individual residents.
The area in the southeast corner near Cuddington Close could be redesigned to create a new square.
Preston’s road layout isolates it from the wider surrounding area and plans could include:
- improving links with the surrounding area
- improving pedestrian routes linking the Waterfield area and the southernmost roads in Preston and Tattenham Corner station and
- improving direct pedestrian access from Preston onto Epsom Downs.
The proposals were developed with extensive involvement of local people and a range of local stakeholders and organisations.
The regeneration plan covers a wider area than just Preston Ward as it is anticipated that the surrounding area would also benefit from the regeneration.
The Draft Preston Regeneration SPD is published for a six week public consultation from the end of March 2006.
The Preston Area Regeneration Masterplan and Draft Preston Regeneration Supplementary Planning Document are available to view on the Council’s website and at Tattenham Library, Banstead Library, Banstead Help shop and the Town Hall in Reigate.
Comments should be sent in writing to Robert Cottrill, Head of Policy and Community Initiatives, Reigate & Banstead Borough Council, Town Hall, Castlefield Road, Reigate RH2 0SH or by e-mail to: LDF@reigate-banstead.gov.uk. The consultation ends on 9 May 2006.
Following the public consultation, the Executive will consider the consultation responses and make changes, as appropriate, to the draft SPD. It is anticipated that the final SPD will be adopted in November 2006.
Background
In 2004 Reigate & Banstead Borough Council, together with Surrey County Council, appointed specialist regeneration consultants, Urban Practitioners, to prepare a 'regeneration masterplan' for the Preston area.
A project board was set up to manage the regeneration and includes representatives from Reigate & Banstead Borough Council, Surrey County Council, London Borough of Merton, RB Housing Trust (now Raven Housing Trust), local community groups and Urban Practitioners.
Proposals for the regeneration of Preston were drawn up by Urban Practitioners following extensive consultation with local residents, community groups and businesses, including a walking audit, workshops, exhibitions, questionnaires and public meetings.
The consultation helped identify a number of key ‘themes’ to guide the regeneration proposals:
- "Positive public space" aims to create attractive, safe, overlooked public space, which can be well-used by local people.
- "High quality community facilities" looks at the importance of providing high quality, purpose-built community facilities in the heart of Preston.
- "Community hub" establishes a principle of central services and shops, approached by safe pedestrian routes to provide Preston with a ‘heart’.
- "High quality, sustainable design" seeks to ensure that any new development will respect the existing scale and character of the area, and enhance Preston to benefit the existing community.
- "Improved access and linkages" aims to address Preston’s isolation, which results from poor connections to the surrounding area and some key amenities by creating new links to knit the Preston area back into its surrounding area and improve access.
The Borough Council’s Executive agreed the regeneration proposals for public consultation on 3 March 2005. Following the consultation, plans were modified, where appropriate.
The Preston regeneration will be delivered in stages, over the short, medium and long term.
The regeneration seeks to complement the work carried out by Communities that Care (CtC), a programme that tackles social problems in the community, by focussing on Preston’s physical environment and how this can be improved.
The Borough and County Councils jointly produce a regular newsletter to keep residents and stakeholders up to date with developments on both the regeneration and CtC initiatives. The next issue is due to be distributed in April.
The Draft Preston Regeneration SPD was agreed for public consultation by the Borough Council’s Executive on Thursday (23 February 2006).
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