Boston Market Place Regeneration Scheme

How the Scheme was Developed• June 2004 – The Boston Masterplan identified the need to make the

Market Place a more attractive area. The Masterplan Refresh document (September 2006) identified the Market Place as a “key area to take forward

• November 2007 – The Boston Town Centre Study was completed and identified 10 objectives for the Town Centre. One of the objectives was that the “Market Place should be the centrepiece of the Town”

• February 2008 – The Community Plan was developed and “starting the Market Place enhancement project” was identified as one of the ways to achieve the “Making Boston a Destination” objective

• January 2010 – The Market Place Regeneration Specification Brief was adopted by Cabinet. This document brought together recommendations form the Anderson and Glenn Conservation Area Appraisal and the feedback from consultation.

How the Scheme was Developed

• March 2008 – It was agreed, at a workshop for members, that “Making the Market Place a Centre Piece for the Town” was the priority objective of the Town Centre Study

• April 2008 – Officers from BBC and LCC worked on a proposal for ERDF funding for a Market Place Regeneration Scheme

• October 2008 – An application was submitted to the East Midlands Development Agency (emda) to apply for ERDF Funding

• April 2009 – The application to emda for funding was approved subject to LCC and BBC providing match funding

• June 2009 – The Capital strategy, including the £450k allocation for the Market Place Regeneration, was discussed at Full Council and it was resolved to approve the Strategy

• July 2009 – The Consultation Phase of the project started.

Other Regenerated Market Places and Spaces

Newark Market Place Nottinghamshire

(Bailgate) Lincoln, Lincolnshire

Stamford, Lincolnshire

Warwick Market Place,Warwickshire

Alnwick Market Square, Northumberland

New Road, Brighton East Sussex

Lincoln

ChepstowChichester

Examples of quality, natural materials

Investment In Regeneration Schemes in Other Lincolnshire Towns

Spalding £735,000 Investment in upgrading the main shopping area. The area also benefits form an English Heritage CAPS scheme. Local Authority contribution £330,000 (SHDC £270,000).

Stamford £1.5m Investment in the Red Lion Square town centre Scheme. Produced new paved areas, reduced parking and improved overall quality of town centre. Local Authority contribution £840,000.

Newark £1.05m Investment to revamp the Market Place with quality paving. Also to upgrade the market stalls. Information awaited on Local Authority contribution.

Lincoln £3m investement to upgrade paving, signage and seating in City Centre, Lower Steep Hill area. Local Authority contribution £416,833. A further £1.18m investment in the Bailgaterefurbishment scheme. Local Authority contribution £780,000.

Grantham £1.4m (part of £10.5m Growth Point Programme) Investment to refurbish town centre focussing on the Market Place. Local Authority contribution £5.5m.

Gainsborough £3m Investment on public realm works focussing on the Market Place. Local Authority contribution £1m.

Caistor £610,000 Investment in new paving and street furniture in the Market Place. Local Authority contribution £460,000.

Boston Market Place:its heritage alone makes it one of the most significant in the region

OS map of 1887

Historic routes are shown on early maps and photographs

Market Place 1962: All of the historic materials have gone but the path line and main road are marked and sit flush with the main surface.

Market day

Initial Consultation

• Initial Consultation on the Regeneration project took place July – November 2009 and included:– 3 Public Consultation events in the Market Place (300+ responses)– Consultation stand at the Boston Community Showcase– Business Questionnaire – Meeting with Focus Groups

• Disability Forum• Silver Links• Taxi forum

– Public open meeting– Members open evening– Information published in the press and on the Council Website to

promote public feedback

Consultation – Key ResponsesConsultation events triggered a number of responses. The key responses focused on some key areas:

• Car• Public Realm• Boston Market• Street Entertainment/Events• Highways Issues• Ingram Memorial and how it links to the Market Place• Services for Cyclists• Shop Fronts

Proposals

Existing Loading

Bay retained

Bank Street could be closed to vehicles to reduce ‘through-traffic’ and improve the environment for pedestrians

'Fixed’ furniture (including seats and signage) would be carefully placed to enable multi-functional use of the Market Place. An ongoing programme of activities (such as additional markets, festivals, street entertainment) would be a key aim in the long term

Outdoor eating spaceProvision for outdoor eating will be encouraged (details to be agreed)

Disabled & Motorcycle Parking6 disabled spaces and space for motorcycles would be available here 7 days a week, giving extra convenience on Market Days

TaxisProvision for 13 taxis; the front car picks up passengers and subsequent cars move down in turn

Platform for the southbound Into Town bus stop - This would mirror the shape of the Five Lamps feature opposite, and could incorporate a seat to match

Two existing bus stopsThe stops would remain

New pedestrian crossingAn additional feature which is hoped can be delivered as part of the scheme is a zebra crossing here, which would link up access around the Market Place

ParkingParking would be reduced from the current level, comprising short stay, standard and disabled spaces. Not only would this create abetter balance between pedestrians and vehicles, but would also enable other activities to take place. (Please see separate sheet for other town centre car parks)

Sketch plan: overview

‘Five Lamps’ featureFaithfully reproduced, and in its broadly original location, this would once again become a proud landmark of Boston Market Place. It would have a plinth for seating/meeting and an integrated ‘platform' for the Into Town bus stop (see later pages)

Fish HillThis area could be utilised for outdoor dining or a ‘mini’ market on non-market days

Historic routes would be defined to retain the character and heritage of the Market Place.

Keeping the east-west route at Dolphin Lane clear of parked cars would encourage pedestrians to cross and also emphasise access to the shops in Dolphin Lane and beyond

Improved access between the Market Place and St Botolphswould be achieved by creating a gap in the central area of the boundary wall. This depends on gaining formal permissions.

(Private parking)

Parking provision: existingNon market days110 spaces:

102 Standard spaces8 Disabled spaces

Market days0 spaces

Parking provision: proposedNon market days40 spaces:

30 Standard spaces10 Disabled spaces

Market days6 disabled spaces

4 Disabled spaces

14 Standard spaces

8 Standard spaces8 Standard spaces

6 Disabled spaces(7 days a week)

‘Historic’ route retained for pedestrians

(Taxi pick up point)

New east-west route defined for pedestrians (at Dolphin Lane)

Existing zebra crossing

Proposed new zebra crossing (to link up the Market Place)

Other town centre car parks

*

* (Current provision)

Five LampsA common theme coming out of the initial consultation stage was to reintroduce the Five Lamps.

Currently being explored is the feasibility of both recreating the earlier feature (which no longer exists) and refurbishing the later version, which is still located in the town.

Both have their benefits and drawbacks:

• the earlier version could be seen as the most historically important, has more 3 dimensional interest but it would have to be recreated from photographs and therefore would be a ‘replica’

• the later version still exists and is ‘original’ rather than reproduced and it has a more unique appearance. However, it has less 3 dimensional presence from different angles.

The twentieth century replacement which had four

This lamp is still located in the town (right)

If both options are achievable, which would the community prefer to see?

The nineteenth century Five Lamps

‘Five Lamps’ feature

Faithfully reproduced, and in its broadly original location, this would once again become a proud landmark of Boston Market Place. It would have a plinth for seating/meeting and an integrated ‘platform' for the Into Town bus stop

Platform for the southbound Into Town bus stop –

This would mirror the shape of the Five Lamps feature opposite, and could incorporate a seat to match

Indicative view of Five Lamps feature when entering from the Town Bridge approach

(The plinth/informal seating itself would be the main focus)

Indicative view of Five Lamps feature from the road

(The raised kerb for the bus is integrated into the main plinth feature)

Indicative view of Five Lamps feature looking towards South Street

(Dropped kerb to the ‘inside’ edge would enable access)

Proposed pedestrian access through St

Botolph’s (listed) boundary wall

This depends on gaining formal

permissions

Idea of how it might look..

Opportunity for additional Markets on non market days

(every effort has been made to minimise the impact of the new layout upon the twice weekly market)

Festivals, markets & seasonal events in the Market Place: a taster of the possibilities

Other multi-use Market Places

Nottingham

Birmingham

London

Warwick Market PlaceCanary Wharf, London

Outdoor eating: examples from other towns and cities

Nottingham Nottinghamshire

Malmo, Sweden

Piccadilly, London

Windermere Cumbria

Maastricht, Holland

Soho, London

Other projects coming forward which complement the Market

Place Scheme

English Heritage considers Boston Market Place to be the most significant in the region due to its heritage, but also one that is at risk from under investment.

Largely on account of the investment planned for the Market Place itself, English Heritage is keen to work with Boston Borough Council to deliver a Conservation Area Partnership Scheme (CAPS).

This would offer financial assistance for the private sector with the cost of traditional repair and re-instatement of local historic features to buildings in the Conservation Area. It would mean that owners ofshops, buildings and other heritage assets that surround the Market Place (and other parts of the Conservation Area) would receive encouragement to improve and refurbish in an appropriate manner.

The Partnership Scheme, together with the planned regeneration of the Market Place, would provide an ideal environment for Boston to prosper.

Boston Conservation Area Partnership Scheme

Here are some success stories from other Conservation Area Partnership Schemes...

Such a scheme takes the form of an agreement between English Heritage and the Borough Council. Its day to day running including the offer of grants for conservation repairs is delegated to the local authority for a fixed term of up to 5 years.

Features typically eligible for grant assistance include roofs, rainwater goods, walls, windows, facades and doors, bargeboards and ornamental masonry on buildings.

Horncastle town centre relies on spending by local people and visitors. The historic environment is a key factor in supporting visits to the town, providing a setting for cafes and a small number of antiques shops. The Horncastle CAPS scheme focused on enhancement of commercial and vacant buildings and saw the return of 14 vacant units back into mostly commercial use..

Selby’s grant scheme is a partnership between Selby District Council and English Heritage. It aims to restore historic buildings in the Conservation Area to their former glory and help reinstate Selby as a thriving Yorkshire market town.

So far over £45,000 in grants have been spent, with a further £20,000 allocated to other schemes. This has enabled over £200,000 of repair, maintenance and building works to be completed.

This building stood empty for over ten years; owners had come and gone, but nothing had been done to halt its decline.The total cost of the renovation was extensive, and without grant assistance provided by the scheme the new owner could not make the building “stack up”financially.

In addition, public realm

improvementshave contributed

to the enhancement

of the main Market Place and

created town

‘gateways’

Before

After

Selby, North YorkshireHorncastle, Lincolnshire

South Holland, Lincolnshire

CAD realisation (left) showing new shop fronts and colourscheme The new shop fronts are based upon photographic evidence and are being made in nearby joinery manufactory

Spalding - Hills Furniture Store The roof has been recovered using original slates, structural works to the gable, repairs have also been undertaken to the lead lined cornice gutter and windows. The 1960’s shop front has also been replaced with a traditional shop front and is a vast improvement to this listed buildings and those surrounding it.

Examples of CAPS which South Holland District Council are leading on..

This building had been vacant for almost 2 years when an application for grant aid was made. Repairs include recovering the roof using its original slate, timber repairs to the roof structure, structural repairs, and reinstatement of lost architectural features. This building is now a café and a self contained flat. Total investment in the building is in excess of £80,000.

Holbeach - 14 & 18 Church StRepairs include re-covering the roof using new and original Welsh slates; reinstatement of a chimney stack, re-pointing; structural works (archway), timber repairs to roof structure and the reinstatement of

the original shop fronts

Holbeach - 52 High Street

Cornwall

12 historic towns have had heritage led regeneration schemes worth £13.4m, helping to:

• strengthen the self image of communities; • recreate viable, attractive places; • encourage sustained inward investment; • lever in significant amounts of capital and• sustain and create local jobs

Cornwall Council

(Historic photograph was used to informthe detailing of the replacementshop front) Falmouth 8/9 High Street

Redruth 2 Falmouth Road

Extensive assessment has measured numerous economic and environmental benefits

Llanrwst, ConwyLlanrwst received a commendation in the Town Centre Environment Awards in 2005 for its Townscape Heritage Initiative.

The scheme concentrated efforts on the shop elevations in order to make them far more attractive for retailers - particularly independents - to occupy. The result was that vacancy rates were vastly reduced from 17 to just 3 shops and there are now a number of independent retailers trading successfully.

The Old Library, Bridge Street

Electricare,

10 Denbigh Street

Sheffield House,

AncasterSquare

The Red Lion, Denbigh Street

Before

Before

Before

Before

After

After

After

After

Derby, Derbyshire“We are delighted with the success of our two schemes, the PSiCA and the Building Frontage scheme, jointly funded by New Growth Points, Single Programme and English Heritage and Derby City Council.

In the 1st year, a total of £150,000 grant aid was approved equal to 10 grant applications.

In the 2nd year of the scheme, a number of larger schemes that were first conceived in Year 1, appeared following a design/specification process, resulting in a total grant award of £360,000 (22 grants).

At the end of Year 3, it is expected that over £1M of grant will have been approved towards around 60 building repair/enhancement projects around the city centre.

Valeria Passetti - City Centre Grant Schemes Project Officer, Derby City Council

The City Council’s leaflet providing information on the grant assistance available

24 Iron Gate 10 Friar Gate

24 Corn Market