LETTER FROM EDNCP
Dear All,
Thank you for taking the trouble to visit the Cranbrook Town Centre website again.
EDNCP were very grateful for the feedback from the community on the town centre proposals presented in September 2020 and the high level of support for what was shown.
You have probably seen or heard that the District Council’s Strategic Planning Committee in October did not support the proposals as they stood, preferring instead for the council to look to work up another planning policy document (an SPD for the town centre) in 2021 – albeit whilst also continuing discussions with EDNCP to see if agreement could be reached. We do not believe this additional document is necessary and are concerned about the delay it would cause to the delivery of the town centre.
Recognising the key aspiration of the community that progress be made quickly, and the opportunity that is presented to secure a high quality food retailer, further discussions have been held with EDDC officers and more detailed work undertaken.
Following these discussions, EDNCP have offered to make available more land for town centre uses – specifically parcel TC1 to the County Council to deliver an extra care facility. The land being offered by the consortium to EDDC and DCC is now well in excess of what is required, as part of the Cranbrook planning permission.
INTERACTIVE ILLUSTRATIVE LAYOUT
An interactive illustrative plan has been prepared to show the broad range of facilities that could be accommodated in the town centre as proposed by EDNCP delivering an active high street for the town – foodstore, retail units on both sides of Tillhouse Road, Town Council offices, Health and Well Being Centre, smaller scale offices and workshops, nursery, even a leisure centre should the Councils wish to deliver that (behind the Health and Well Being Centre to ensure an active frontage can still be delivered). Moreover, flexibility exists within the development parcels being offered to the District and County Councils to cater for a variety of uses or future needs as they arise.
By selecting a parcel from the buttons below, you will be able to view examples of what might be achieved, and where it is located within the Town Centre.
ARTIST'S IMPRESSION
Illustrative material has been prepared to show what could be achieved in the Town Centre and what it could look like.
DELIVERY & TIMESCALES
It will be the responsibility of EDNCP to deliver the proposals for the foodstore, some retail units, the nursery and town square, all in TC4a. The respective Councils will deliver the remaining elements shown on the plans.
EDNCP – working with HDD Developments and Morrisons – would like the foodstore to be open to the public in summer of 2022, with the nursery and first phase of additional retail units also open before the end of 2022. To meet this timescale, we do need early agreement with EDDC concerning the future of the whole of the Town Centre.
To inform the debate at the next committee meeting we would welcome your views on whether you support the revised proposals as shown and how important the timescale for delivering the facilities is to you.