Holbeach High Street survey to test out ways to 'revitalise town centre'

Two options to ease traffic in Holbeach town centre are being put to the public as a decision on a bid for government cash draws closer.

An online survey is now running to find out if traffic calming measures, or vehicle restrictions, should be introduced along High Street.

The survey was launched on social media site Facebook by Holbeach Parish Council on Friday (November 20) after talks about a £4million to £7million bid to the Government’s Future High Streets Fund (FHSF) which, if successful, could transform the town centre.

A decision from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is due by the end of the year, but parish councillors want the Holbeach public to have their say on how the cash should be spent.

Coun Sophie Hutchinson, vice chairman of the council’s planning committee, said: "Several parish councillors had a meeting recently with Holbeach county councillor Nick Worth about the FHSF bid as they had some questions and queries about it.

"As a result of that meeting, the parish council came up with a couple of proposals to alter High Street and it was then agreed that the planning committee should work on them.

"The intention isn’t to alter the FHSF bid, but to put to the public something that would be quite feasible, with or without funding from the Government."

The traffic calming option could see High Street narrowed by either extending its pavements or creating a pedestrian crossing.

An alternative option would see all vehicles, except buses and delivery lorries, banned from using High Street between 10am and 3pm during the week.

Coun Hutchinson said: "If we do get the FHSF money, further consultation will be done so the proposals can be tweaked.

"But if we don’t, there are alternative funding options out there and so we just want to get the public’s view on how to move things forward."

Coun Worth said: "At the moment it is very much a waiting game until we hear whether or not we have been successful with our FHSF bid.

"Obviously, the Government have been prioritising actions around COVID-19 but we hope to hear the outcome of our bid soon.

"In the meantime, our town centre coordinator has done a fabulous job of preparing all the projects, reconfiguring Market Hill, redeveloping the Chequers Yard site and developing a cycle network, so that we are ready to move on them as soon as we hear the outcome.

"South Holland District Council has also added value by funding the exciting 'Holbeach Elf Trail' to encourage people to shop locally which is really important at the moment, especially when we come out of the national lockdown.

"We have also funded a 35ft Norwegian spruce Christmas tree from the Towns Improvement Fund, along with baubles to give the town some added Christmas cheer this year.

"New toilets are really important to the town too and if we are successful with the bid, this will happen through that process.

"But if not, we will fund it from the Towns Improvement Fund as well.

"There is a lot of passion in the town, which is really evident from the vast numbers of people voting in the new Hearts of Holbeach Awards.

"We want to harness that enthusiasm and support by continuing to engage directly with the parish council and local businesses if, or when, we are successful with our bid which would be a great Christmas present for the town."