News & Events

Forum learns from Watchet

The Market Town Forum's Network Event in Watchet last night enthused and encouraged those attending, who heard about three projects in the town and also the latest on the towns' MCTi Community Plan.

Sally De Renzy-Martin, from Watchet Action Strategic Partnership (WASP) opened the event, giving an overview of the Marina's development, the improvements to the Esplanade and the proposed Urban Splash mixed-use scheme at the East Wharf (to find out more about this important scheme see the link at the bottom of this article).

Watchet ne

During a tour of the Harbour, we walked along the impressive Esplanade which was completed earlier this year and was part-funded by Somerset Rural Renaissance. 

We were introduced to the Watersports Centre project by Liz Stewart from West Somerset Council. This would create a permanent home for Watchet Sea Scouts (currently operating out of a shipping container!), the town's sea rowing team and other leisure users, and involves boat and canoe storage, changing facilities and club rooms.

Watchet Conservation Society, though only recently created, has been in discussion with Russell Lilford from Somerset County Council on a Townscape Enhancements project, which is quite broad and could include traffic calming, wider pavements, improvements to street lighting as well as education on Watchet's distinctive pavements, which were interpreted for us by Dr Eric ('the Brush Man') who has a wealth of experience in interpreting local heritage/geology.

The group then returned to the Phoenix Centre (itself a key facility in the town, providing lunch clubs on three days for the elderly and infirm) for refreshments and presentations on each of these projects. The delegates asked many questions about the projects and the MCTi process and plan. Finally there was time for networking - further discussions and exchange of details. Sam Westmacott of Watchet Conservation Society offered to visit other towns hoping to do similar townscape improvements to give them a talk on the Watchet project. Contact Matt Day if your town is interested.

This Network Event worked well and we will continue with this format in the future. Many thanks to all who took part in the event and particularly Sally for her help and input.

East Wharf Planning Application documents - Design and Access Statement gives key points of proposal (note its a 7.5MB file so only for patient Broadband users!)

Link to Watchet Online - the town's best website with excellent photos of many of the projects and completed schemes

Created on September 16th 2008

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