Liveable Neighbourhoods move a step closer

Bath & North East Somerset Council have launched the next stage of its Liveable Neighbourhoods project to help make communities healthier - and it wants to hear people’s views.

As part of the council’s commitment to giving people a bigger say and putting them at the heart of decision-making, the council is inviting residents, businesses and organisations to co-design the schemes and help improve their environments to create healthier communities.

Over the next three weeks people can go onto a map-based page and pin their comments via www.bathnes.gov.uk/liveableneighbourhoods as well as taking part in a series of virtual and face-to-face events.

Councillor Sarah Warren, deputy council leader and cabinet member for Climate and Sustainable Travel said: “We’ve had a fantastic response so far from communities who’ve really got behind the idea of Liveable Neighbourhoods. Of course, every community is different and has its own needs, so its important local people put forward their ideas to address the issues that affect them and work with us to develop tailored Liveable Neighbourhood schemes that work for their area.

“We also want people who live near the schemes to have their say and get involved in the design process, as its vital we understand and work to mitigate any potential impact on neighbouring areas.”

Liveable Neighbourhoods aim to give fairer access to residential neighbourhoods, creating healthier outdoor spaces for everyone to share, as well as vibrant local high streets where people want to spend time and money.

By reducing the dominance of vehicles, cutting carbon emissions, improving air quality, enhancing road safety, creating more road space and promoting healthy lifestyles, Liveable Neighbourhoods can make it safer to move around actively. This will enable more people to make journeys on foot and over time, help will reduce car journeys to help cut congestion for those with no alternative but to travel by car.

This is achieved through a range of measures such as vehicle restrictions, traffic calming, residents’ parking zones and electric vehicle charging.

Earlier this summer Bath & North East Somerset Council allocated £2.2m to develop and deliver fifteen priority Liveable Neighbourhood schemes as part of its Climate Emergency Action Plan. The schemes are:

• Whitchurch & Queen Charlton (Publow with Whitchurch and Saltford)

• Temple Cloud

• Morris Lane/Bannerdown (Bathavon North)

• Mount Road (Southdown)

• Oldfield Lane & First/Second/Third Avenues

• Edgerton Road/Cotswold Road (Moorlands)

• (New) Sydney Place and Sydney Road (Bathwick)

• Area bounded by Sydney Place, Great Pulteney Street, St Johns Road and Bathwick Street (Bathwick)

• The Circus/Lower Lansdown/Marlborough Lane & Building/Royal Victoria Park/Cork Street area (Kingsmead & Lansdown)

• Lyme Road/Charmouth Road (Newbridge)

• Chelsea Road (Newbridge)

• Snow Hill (Walcot)

• Church St & Prior Park Rd (Widcombe & Lyncombe)

• Entry Hill (Widcombe & Lyncombe)

• Southlands (Weston)

The schemes will be developed over the coming months in three stages starting with today’s online launch and engagement events. Details of these can be found here www.bathnes.gov.uk/liveableneighbourhoods and the engagement runs until December 19.

Ideas from this engagement will shape the concept designs which will be considered by a cross-section of the local community during a series of workshops. The designs will then be updated before going out to wider community consultation in early spring.

Feedback will be considered and reflected in the detailed technical designs which local people will once again be consulted on before schemes are implemented.

Councillor Warren added: “We want local people to have ownership of these projects and create the environment they want to live in. Our aim is to breathe new life into residential areas and create conditions which prioritise the health and wellbeing of local people while supporting our efforts to tackle the climate emergency.”