Page 13 - Ashbourne 08-02-2021

Communication & Engagement
Gauging the reaction: a comprehensive communication exercise focused on District and Town Councillors, as well as senior District Council officers, and significant stakeholders around the town.
This could be benchmarked against the Neighbourhood Plan (NP). The holistic Ashbourne scheme could deliver against its objectives, while meeting the legislative requirements of being reasonably related to the development.
Then:
• working together
• create a credible business case to fund the bypass
An outline draft business case exercise for the bypass would set the context of what needs to be done.
The development is taking a “stake” in the town.
It recognises the importance of the NP projects being delivered alongside the bypass, and not having to wait until after it. This addresses head on the reality that if the development wholly delivers the bypass, and improves its own connections to the town centre, the remaining NP aspirations remain unfulfilled – and, most likely, with little prospect of being fulfilled.
A more holistic approach to upgrading the town, with a contribution to the bypass that is so significant that it makes the BCR of the public funds irresistible (potentially through DCC or the LEP, not only through Government).