Page 11 - Ashbourne 08-02-2021

Radical Approach
Drive the vision for Ashbourne’s Renaissance
The masterplan sets the principle - allow the centre of Ashbourne to be relieved of the quantum and type of traffic passing through the town centre.
The aggregate lorries, the tourist traffic, and the rest can all be removed by the bypass. Then the environment in the town can be improved.
New green links can be opened between the site and the town centre, and trips around the town can switch to sustainable travel, and cleaner vehicles.
The radical approach extends this to a comprehensive, town-wide series of initiatives:
• connect the site and the town
• deliver streetscape improvements in the town
• improve sustainable connections
The scheme would “adopt” the Neighbourhood Plan – and other initiatives, to deliver a holistic, complete plan for the town. Promoted alongside the Local Plan, the plan is to democratise the bypass as part of an “Ashbourne Renaissance”.
Public sector contributions to the bypass scheme could play a part, as the whole project would involve the whole town – not just the site and its connections.
The objective would be to bring politicians, traders, community groups and residents together in a common approach to build a renaissance for the town.
The strategy would be to manoeuvre the political will towards support for an application – indeed, that they see the application as critical to the delivery of the renaissance of the whole town.
The risks here are that this will take time and money – and not everyone will want to come on board. The strategy sits outside of the Local Plan process, with an early application that officers (who look at the whole of Derbyshire Dales) may resist in principle.
Early, on-going, and consistent political soundings and engagement will be necessary to stand any chance of success.