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Tim Pharoah was a member of the ARUrbanism team assisting East Grinstead Town Council with the preparation of the Neighbourhood Plan for the Parish in 2012-13.
The Plan covered the whole of the Parish with a focus on East Grinstead Town and especially the town centre. The team undertook and analysed a wide range of engagement events, which helped to define the important issues and to formulate appropriate policy responses. The team also drafted the Plan itself, incorporating other policies and plans where appropriate and in consultation with the Parish Council steering group and local District Council officers.
The main intention of the Plan is to focus development within the existing built up area boundary, re-using existing sites and intensifying activity in the town centre. This spatial policy is essential to maintain the landscape setting of the town, to prevent coalescence with nearby settlements, and to minimise travel distances to the town centre. The entire town is within 10 minutes cycling distance of all the main retail, leisure and employment facilities in the town. This structural benefit is to be reinforced by improvements to the walking and cycling networks in the town.
Another key element of the Plan is the proposal to exclude vehicles except cycles and buses (and delivery vehicles for limited periods) from the main retail areas of High Street and London Road. This is designed to boost trade and investment in town centre activities by providing a much higher quality streets and spaces. The historic townscape is currently spoilt by the dominance of parked and moving vehicles, and the appearance of the streets as highways rather than places to enjoy on foot.
The progress of the Plan can be tracked on the East Grinstead Neighbourhood Plan website.
The ARUrbanism website is here.
| Location | East Grinstead England |
|---|---|
| Date(s) | September 2012 - |
| Client(s) | East Grinstead Town Council |
| Team(s) | Tim Pharoah with ARUrbanism |
