A GREEN space on Semington Road next to the petrol station could be transformed into a new community garden.
The idea – put forward by the Melksham Business Growth Group and supported by Southwest in Bloom Melksham – proposes to use the patch of grass to create a community space that could benefit local residents, and provide a new “welcome” point to the town for visitors.
The proposal describes a new “Welcome to Melksham” sign, and an area for wildflowers to encourage biodiversity. In a proposal to the town council requesting that they apply for a ‘garden licence’ from Wiltshire Council who own the land, Matt Durant from the Melksham Business Growth Group said, “The space itself is largely unused, except for dog walkers and so I would still like to retain some grassy areas for them to do their business. To have a dog poo bin installed as well would be ideal.
“As this is one of the main roads into the town, the idea is to have a ‘Welcome to Melksham’ sign prominent in the garden (with the town logo on too). Under this sign it will say; ‘Home of Southwest in Bloom (Melksham)’ and ‘Home of Business Growth Group.’
“Both are local enterprises used to promote beautification of the town and improving the local economy respectively. The plan is to leverage the expertise of both enterprises to give people a really nice surprise on the way into the town.
“And we hope that it will provide a spot encouraging mental wellness and positive energy to anyone walking past or sitting on the bench within the garden. There are plenty of residences nearby who will be able to take advantage of our project.
“Finally, to encourage biodiversity, the garden will have a large amount of wildflowers sown – to assist with pollinators and to encourage birds and wildlife.”
At a town council meeting last week, councillors agreed they would “commit” to working with both groups to facilitate the project, but would need clarity and a more detailed plan about who would be responsible for the works and the ongoing maintenance, before applying for the ‘garden licence’.
“It’s another bit of Melksham that could do with brightening up,” said mayor cllr Pat Aves.