The Docks are looking a lot clearer. Not the murky depths below but the bright future ahead. Last week large numbers of people visited the consultation day at the Sea Cadets hall and discussed the options for bringing the famous Bridgwater Docks back into our lives. Bridgwater Town Council will be playing a leading role and the Town Council’s Property Portfolio Holder, Tim Mander (Labour, Westover) was at the event and reports back.
Cllr Tim Mander reports
I was delighted to engage in the public consultation carried last Wednesday 13th December at the Bridgwater Sea Cadets HQ. Whilst the Docks Regeneration Project is being managed by Somerset Council, Bridgwater Town Council are a key partner being committed to taking on the ownership of the docks on completion of the refurbishment. The Town Council has been pushing for a consultation event over the last few months and was pleased to attend the event along with the county Officer project team. The event which spanned 3 hours, was really well attended with a great deal of public interest and was designed to engage the public in the project and encouraged feedback. In summary the business case which attracted the £4.2 millions of Town Deal Funding and another £1 million of active travel funding and is conditional upon the following:
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New and improved active travel routes – 0.4km plus new bridge
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Heritage restoration of the docks site – 2ha
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Enhanced residential (40 berth) and leisure (26 berth) moorings – including refurbished toilets and amenities
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Volunteer engagement – 30 plus volunteers engaged each year
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GVA Employment – 4 full time job equivalent jobs
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Improved sense of place and tourist attraction – participation in events and activities
Despite numerous negative and some misinformed comments on local social media the principal objective is to bring back the boats and life itself in the dock basis. This has always been the Town Council’s objective as has the need to work with local residents’; community groups and of course businesses. At the moment the feedback from the consultation forms is being analyzed and I look forward to receiving a full feedback in the early New Year. This event was an important first step in a process that is all about Bridgwater residents feeling they are part of an enormously important regeneration project. The Town Council and Labour ward members will seek to ensure that there is further consultation throughout the processs.