The Saxmundham Town Centre Initiative

Update -

Background & History

In early 2000, the Town Council's Policy and Resources Committee undertook the preparation of a long-term (5 year) plan for the development and enhancement of Saxmundham. The Committee produced a discussion paper entitled "Saxmundham - A Development Strategy", which was discussed at length and approved by the Town Council and presented to the Annual Parish Meeting in April 2000. The plan was adopted and subsequently sent to Suffolk Coastal District Council (SCDC) for its consideration and a request that it be implemented as soon as possible. The overall aim was, and is, to improve the economic prosperity and social well-being of the local community and the visual appearance of Saxmundham town centre.

The town pump was restored and placed in the Market Place

Following a consideration of the town's strengths and weaknesses by a partnership consisting of representatives from Saxmundham Town Council, Suffolk Coastal District and Suffolk County Councils (officers and elected members) and Saxmundham Business Association, a programme of action was drawn up in the form of 58 separate possible projects. These identified possible physical improvements to the town centre, improvements to its day to day running and ways of promoting the town for the benefit of residents, businesses and visitors. The Action Plan is, and will continue to be, implemented by a number of current schemes where financial sources are available such as the Heritage Economic Regeneration Scheme (HERS), the Single Regeneration Budget (SRB) and the Local Transport Plan (LTP).

The Action Plan was the subject of public consultation and comment in the Summer of 2001, and a successful exhibition explaining the proposals was held in the Market Hall at that time. The partnership of business and public representatives has met many times over the past two years, and will continue to do so on an 'as required' basis to progress and oversee the implementation of the Plan's projects. Some of the projects have been completed, some are still in the process of implementation and some have yet to undertaken.

The following is an updated summary of the work completed as at 16th November 2003:-

Zorba's Kebab Café in their newly refurbished and historic premises on Market Place.

Market Place and Car Park. The Market Place was resurfaced in the early summer to create a more traditional market town character, and included the use of brick paviours and granite setts. The footways and the central area of the road have been 'top-dressed' within the past week. New, attractive street lighting, which is more in keeping with a Conservation Area, has been installed. The Town Pump, presented to the town by the Long family in 1836, has been thoroughly refurbished and re-instated in an attractive setting at the North end of the Market Place. The entrance to the Car Park and the lay-out within it have been altered and improved so that they are more 'pedestrian friendly', and the whole area has been attractively landscaped. The Market Place and Car Park enhancement is now therefore completed.

Bell Hotel and Market Hall Frontage. The pavement outside The Bell Hotel and the Market Hall has been renewed and widened slightly, and two bench seats installed outside the hotel. The pavements on either side of the High Street entrance to the Market Place near The Bell have been lowered for ease of wheelchair negotiation. The resultant problem with apparent, unnoticeable steepness of slope been rectified. There still remains a small area of bitumen to be replaced by York stone.

Crossroads/Traffic Lights. The traffic lights at the crossroads have been renewed and pedestrian crossing phases introduced. Although this caused traffic problems and delays at the time of installation, it was a necessary safety measure and delaying its introduction would have caused much more incovenience to residents and visitors alike as the town's population and traffic activity increase.

New Gaterway feature in North Entrance

Traffic Calming Measures in North and South Entrances. An attractive 'Gateway' feature has been installed on North Entrance. This serves the dual purpose of announcing that you have arrived in Saxmundham and, hopefully, calming your traffic speeds! Similar traffic calming measures have been initiated on South Entrance with the installation of 30mph count down, coloured 'rumble strips' approaching the newly installed Saxmundham sign.

New town sign

South Entrance. An attractive new sign has been installed in South Entrance, complementing that at the other end of the town. The footways in South Entrance have also been resurfaced. In addition to the above, new street light standards have been installed in South Entrance and these new style standards will be installed in the rest of the town, together with new light fittings, during the current financial year. Two Bus Shelters have also been installed in S. Entrance and at the Bus Station.

Saxmundham 'Focal Point'. A'Focal Point' to the town is established in the area between Somerfields and The White Hart. The respective parcels of land owned by Pubmaster and Somerfields will shortly be transferred (via SCDC) to Saxmundham Town Council for a nominal sum. Somerfields have also agreed to construct an official short-cut into their car park from Church Street and to improve the landscaping along their Church Street frontage.