Melksham Market Place Facelift – time to have your say

THE Market Place could be set for a revamp as plans for the Melksham community campus evolve.

The Market Place improvement scheme commenced by Wiltshire Council through their agents, Mouchel, in 2005 which was shelved shortly after, is back on the drawing board.

Wiltshire Council has had initial discussions with the town council over the possible options.

And with campus plans forging ahead, local residents are being urged to make their views known about what they would like to see in the Market Place.

Melksham Trust has entered into the debate with a range of proposals they would like to see included in any Market Place scheme. They want to see a Market Place which is the centre of the community with a water feature, regular events, the introduction of trees and seating and less emphasis on car parking and taxis.

Their proposals include:

• Having a Market Place for people, market stalls, and events, with less domination by car parking and taxis.

• More trees and planted areas with seating.

• Using the existing town centre well to provide a water or other feature.

• Rebuilding the archway to the left of the Town Hall and bringing the Melksham House gate piers forward to restore architectural balance of elevations.

• Having paved/grass block surfaces for pedestrian access including below ground power points for market stalls/events.

• Creating a maze in the paving leading to the water feature.

• Retain the main bus stop and the National coach and other coach stops.

• Use the wide road adjoining Lloyds Bank to provide a taxi rank.

• Keep disabled parking spaces.

• Move some of the taxis closer to the central shopping areas and/or to Sainsbury’s.

• Maintain all central reservations to allow easy pedestrian crossing of all roads in the Market Place.

• Manage traffic through the town by closing the High Street from Church Street to Lowbourne to all traffic except buses, taxis, cyclists, and deliveries.

• Develop the principle of peripheral car parks with close pedestrian access to the town centre, but with vehicle access from the ring road.

• Maintain easy cyclist access/cycle racks.

Trust member and Melksham councillor Richard Wiltshire said, “The campus scheme brings an added traffic issue, but many of the previous design options for the Market Place are still valid.

“The town council has  a considerable file on the Mouchel proposals also including the Melksham Urban Design Study produced by Colin Davis Associates. Many of these earlier proposals can be dusted off and re-examined for this latest Transport Plan study.

“I hope people will put their ideas forward now for consideration before a final scheme is produced, possibly this autumn.

“The final scheme will establish the traffic and pedestrian functions, together with the overall appearance of the Market Place for many years to come. With others, Melksham Trust are keen to support exciting proposals that could enhance our town centre for the enjoyment of all.”

Currently a transport plan study by Wiltshire Council is in progress looking at the impact the campus will have on traffic. The plan will have a significant bearing on the Market Place plans.

The transport plan will consider alternative links to the campus from the A350 and elsewhere and also the potential of existing and new car parks in the town.

The Market Place proposals will be a key element of the campus plans which are expected to be finalised by the autumn, with a build start scheduled for next spring.

• What do you think? What should be done with the Market Place? Write to Melksham News, 31 Market Place, Melksham or email news@melkshamnews. co.uk