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Small towns have the potential to support vibrant and viable town centres, provided that they are made attractive and accessible, and that their trading and business potential is not undermined by alternative large-scale facilities away from the centre. Even when retail has been undermined, there may often be potential for community, leisure and cultural activities that will continue to attract people to the centres.
A challenge in these Sedgefield towns is that they are not far distant from facilities in the larger towns of Bishop Auckland, Newton Aycliffe and Durham. In common with many small settlements, the easy mobility of much of the population afforded by the car makes the competition from other towns more difficult to counteract. If just one item or service required is not available in the local centre, then a quick car trip to another town means the loss of a sale not only of that item, but probably also of all the other items on that day's list.
Growth options
Options for the growth of Spennymoor were examined. The presence of a southern by-pass had important implications. Growth could be limited to the areas enclosed by the by-pass; growth could straddle a by-pass made more amenable to pedestrian and cycle crossing; or, more radically, major growth could justify relocating the by-pass further from the town to enclose a much larger expansion area.
| Date(s) | 2007 - 2008 |
|---|---|
| Team(s) | Tim Pharoah with Tribal Urban Studio Team |
keywords
Town centre regeneration, accessibility planning, growth strategy, regeneration strategy, public realm planning, Sedgefield, Spennymoor, Shildon, Chilton, Ferryhill
