Regeneration of Thatcham town centre on the cards

Committee to discuss plans to improve the Broadway and High Street

COULD the long-awaited refresh of Thatcham Town Centre about to be brought forward?

At the first meeting of Thatcham Town Council’s recreation and amenities committee since last month’s local elections, Dominic Boeck (Con, Thatcham south and Crookham) announced the creation of the Broadway Green Working Party, with the purpose of considering improvements to the area.

Speaking at the meeting Mr Boeck said that a preliminary report from the Turley group – a design appraisal to refresh the town centre, which West Berkshire Council commissioned for £50,000 back in 2008 – had outlined some “quite interesting recommendations”, some of which he described as “slightly controversial”.

The report’s findings suggested that the main priorities for the town centre were to create a modern community facility; protect and enhance existing buildings of architectural merit and infrastructure projects, including improvements to gateways to the town and new signage.

Mr Boeck said that a lot of the recommendations involved how the Broadway and the green were used, including the incorporation of ‘shared space’ accessible by motorists, cyclists and pedestrians similar to Newbury’s Market Place.

“I think we all agree that the Broadway is in need of improvements that will benefit our community,” he said.

In their election manifesto the Conservatives said that they would create a Thatcham Town Centre Task Group, modelled on the one in Newbury, which brought Parkway to the town.

Mr Boeck said that while no work was going on at the moment, some of the previous recommendations had been implemented.

He, along with Conservative councillors Jason Collis, Nathan Gregory and Anne Johnson, agreed to join the working party.

Mr Boeck also said that he would ask the deputy leader of West Berkshire Council, and Thatcham town councillor, Roger Croft to join the group.