Yateley Town Centre Draft Informal Plan, December 1985
This is the second Yateley Town Centre Plan produced by Hart District Council. It was produced in December 1985, nine months after the first draft plan, after the first plan was roundly rejected by the community. It is still very instructive to compare these two Town Centre Plans since it explains the current situation in the commercial area between Plough Road and Sandhurst Road.
It is not known whether this second draft was every formally adopted, or whether the draft was carried forward to be adopted at part of the first modification of the Hart Local Plan. Hart appeared to be smarting at being instructed by the Inspector to produce a separate Town Centre Plan for Yateley, and at having its master plan rejected.
The December informal draft states:
1.4 The District Council places great emphasis on the importance of public participation and accordingly the plan's proposals have been revised. However, as the plan will not now be seeking to significantly upgrade the facilities of the town centre and that there will therefore be no major allocation for retail or commercial development there is now no need for a statutory local plan. It is considered that the needs of Yateley can be best served by putting forward the revised proposals as supplementary planning guidance and at a future date possibly include these proposals in the review of the statutory Hart District Local Plan. The adoption of this procedure will enable the plan to be approved by the District Council in Spring 1986.
The adopted preferred strategy set out in this plan was basically to do nothing:
2.72 TO CONTINUE EXISTING POLICIES PROMOTE MINOR CHANGE AND ENCOURAGE IMPROVEMENTS WITHIN THE TOWN CENTRE
The justification for adoption of this as a preferred Strategy was set out in paragraph 2.74
- It will help to retain existing retail facilities, whilst allowing scope for small scale redevelopment, thereby improving the quality of provision.
- It reinforces the diverse functions of the town centre, retaining features of environmental and historic quality.
- Environmental benefits could be achieved, improving the quality of this part of Yateley.
- The town centre is readiliy accessible by car, public transport, pedestrians and cyclists; the requirements of the disabled should also be taken into consideration.
In fact the Town Centre Plan achieved none of these objectives as demonstrated in the comparison of the two Plans of 1985, and subsequent substantial shopping developments of the periphery of the town.
Comments (0)
You don't have permission to comment on this page.