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Turning Trowbridge into a vibrant county town is the aim of the Transforming Trowbridge partnership.

Trowbridge is a short drive from Bristol, Bath and Salisbury and already provides Wiltshire with its administrative core and a number of key developments will lead to significant improvements happening to the town over the next few years.

Adam Nardell, regeneration projects manager at West Wiltshire District Council, explained: “All three local councils have been working together for some time to maximise Trowbridge’s potential. For too long, it has been the county town in name only; we all felt that our residents deserved so much more.”

Setting the scene

The road to regeneration started in 2001, when a number of agencies came together to develop a ‘Vision for Trowbridge’.

This process to revitalise the county town was led by West Wiltshire District Council in partnership with the South West of England Regional Development Agency, Wiltshire County Council and Trowbridge Town Council; also involved were the Chamber of Commerce, Trowbridge 20/20, Trowbridge Town Development Partnership and the Civic Society.

Adam Nardell said: “The Vision exercise was prompted by a number of key development sites in Trowbridge becoming available at the same time. One of the commercial development companies that owned some of this land took the view that the whole of the town centre deserved the best possible urban planning and design advice. They therefore commissioned an urban planner and architect to carry out a study of what might be possible if there was some form of overall development ‘masterplan’.

“What came out of the study was very much in line with the District Council’s view of how Trowbridge could develop, and the findings were accepted as a starting point for establishing a more detailed ‘vision’ for the town. This work was funded by the Regional Development Agency, and resulted in us agreeing and adopting a number of key urban design principles.”

These principles, which form part of supplementary planning guidance, are as follows:

• Avoid large-scale developments that dwarf people

• Use the existing historic buildings and areas as the basis for future development

• Develop an attractive pattern of streets and squares with varied buildings

• Ensure a mix of commercial, residential and leisure uses, to keep the town centre alive and active throughout the day and during the week

• Reconcile the needs of pedestrians and transport

• Achieve a harmonious balance between buildings, pedestrian life, roads and green spaces

• Provide a flexible framework that can accommodate future growth and change

• Ensure that development is sustainable and affordable, and maximises access and involvement for everyone

• Create a vibrant riverfront and public access along the River Biss

Turning words into action

Armed with the newly adopted urban design framework, the Vision for Trowbridge partnership was able to start detailed discussions with key landowners and developers.

In 2005, the steering group was renamed Transforming Trowbridge, to reflect the shift in emphasis from planning to delivery. Membership of the group has remained wide ranging, with representatives from the town, district and county councils, the South West RDA and local business.

Developments coming forward

A number of major developers are progressing schemes for the centre of Trowbridge.

Waterside is a £90 million leisure-based project that is being promoted by the district and county councils on land in their ownership. Modus has been appointed as a preferred developer, and a detailed planning application was approved in March 2008.

Modus has already secured pre-lettings with Vue (for an eight screen multiplex cinema), Bowlplex, Premier Travel Inn, Brewers Fayre, Pizza Express, Real China and Frankie & Benny’s. The scheme will also include a new state-of-the-art library and 40,000 sq ft of office accommodation - visit www.watersidetrowbridge.co.uk for more details.

Parkridge Developments Ltd has full planning permission for a retail led scheme at the Shires Gateway site, with 75,000 sq ft of shop units, and has also secured ownership of the former Peter Black’s site where an outline planning application has been submitted.

And Barton Finch is hoping to secure planning permission for the former Ushers Brewery bottling site, with a scheme that includes a new supermarket and other retail options.

Alongside this, the District Council is working with the South West RDA to pull together a public realm design and implementation plan for the River Biss - this is an underused amenity that runs through the heart of Trowbridge and provides the potential for attractive landscaping and greater access.

Adam Nardell said: “Drawing up a long term strategy for using and managing the river is the first step; the second stage will be to apply for funding from the South West RDA’s Civic Pride initiative, which regenerates town centres by encouraging good design and improving access to public spaces.”

Looking to the future

Trowbridge provides a significant opportunity for inward investors, boasting a number of large vacant brownfield sites. With multi-million pound developments due to start by 2009, the town will be transformed into a place for the people of Wiltshire to work, rest and play.

The Transforming Trowbridge partnership has launched its own website, where people can see how the various schemes are developing - www.transformingtrowbridge.org.uk

To find out more, you can also contact regeneration projects manager Adam Nardell on 01225 776655 x148 or email anardell@westwiltshire.gov.uk