THE WEEK IN East Bristol & North East Somerset FREE Issue 672 31st March 2021 Read by more than 40,000 people each week B&NES Council ‘not consulting’ over town centre plans There is anger that plans to close a Keynsham car park The reason for the closure is that it is being requisitioned first of potential changes to the junction of the High Street and and make other changes to the town centre – including as a COVID vaccination site and then as a yard for Station Road, including the removal of the roundabout and turning the roundabout by St John’s Church into a T- contractors who will be carrying out public realm works in the historic lamp post in the middle. This is incorporated into junction – have been proposed without consultation with the town centre for most of this year – just as local businesses the draft master plan that will be coming out for consultation the town council, traders or residents. are trying to bounce back after lockdown. There is a longer along with other proposals including greening over of the old Signs went up at the start of last week in the free car park term plan to turn it over to recreational use. fire station area in Temple Street with trees, and the plan to behind St John’s that is mainly used by traders, and also by Keynsham Town Council is also worried that possible turn the free car park behind St John’s into a park. church-goers on Sundays, saying that from 1st April it will alterations to the town centre and traffic flow currently being “All of this seems to have been put to the consultants and no longer be available for public parking. The announcement considered by Bath and North East Somerset Council are incorporated in the master plan before anybody else knew came as a shock and led to an outcry on social media. being incorporated into a future master plan design by that it was even a little thought in someone’s mind,” Dr Scott appointed consultants without any prior consultation with told the meeting. residents and councillors on the practicality and feasibility There was another proposal to replace Ashton Way car of the proposals. park, which has around 240 spaces, with a park but that At their meeting last Tuesday, the council agreed to write to has already been discounted. B&NES to express concerns at the lack of communication Town council vice chair Clive Fricker told the meeting: and consultation over phase 1 of the public realm works "It isn’t just a question of informing people about what’s (councillors were only briefed about the works in the middle happening, it’s a question of consulting with people about of March) as well as the master plan that is being drawn up what’s happening. Because we don’t want to be told things for the Keynsham High Street Heritage Action Zone - we want to be involved, to participate in the development (HSHAZ) programme. of Keynsham. Town clerk Dr Cheryl Scott said the town council had learned Continued on page 3 The idea of turning the roundabout into a T-junction has been mooted Also in this Action on Kingswood Fresh calls to reject Living in the shadow Soap news – the latest parking problems waste-to-energy plant of concrete plant from ‘Greenborne’ week’s issue . page 8 . page 11 . page 16 . page 18 2 The Week in • Wednesday 31st March 2021 B&NES Council ‘not consulting’ over town centre plans Continued from page 1 “Making a T- junction of the roundabout Spotlight on the two projects outside of St John’s sounded a fairly perverse decision. Most people I know like In June 2019, B&NES Council secured street furniture, streetlights, landscaping the roundabout and the old light that’s in £1.5m towards the cost of implementing and trees.” the middle of it. It is one of the the first phase of public realm A separate programme will follow on, characteristics outside of the iconic improvements to enhance Keynsham using £1.1m secured last year from the church. High Street between Charlton Road and High Streets Heritage Action Zones fund “And then to learn that the free car park Bath Hill. from Historic England. The bid was made which is used by our shopkeepers and The funding came from the Local Growth by B&NES Council in partnership with people who work in Keynsham is Fund, administered by the West of the town council and supported by the England Combined Authority (WECA). Keynsham Neighbourhood Development suddenly being withdrawn, no The idea of consultation with Keynsham Town turning Ashton Additional funding has also been secured Plan and civic, community and business Way car park through developer contributions. groups. Council at all, I thought was disgraceful.” into a park has Chair of the council Andy Wait said: “It already been On B&NES Council’s website it says: Keynsham High Street Heritage Action seems as though there’s a sort of model discounted “The first phase of public improvements Zone is formed of the upper part of the that is moving around the country from to the public space between Bath Hill and High Street, the main High Street and high street to high street and sometimes Charlton Road will rejuvenate the town Temple Street. B&NES Council’s website they seem to think that they have a better centre and attract locals and visitors back says this programme “will enable us to idea of what’s going on in Keynsham than to the High Street. harness and develop the value of we do.” “The enhancements will include footpath Keynsham's historic environment to Another councillor, Deb Cooper added: “I widening and resurfacing, better signage, generate economic growth and improve think basically at the moment the people cycling and bus stop facilities, and new quality of life in the town centre”. doing the overall master plan have no Trees have been suggested on the old experience of Keynsham, most of them fire station site have never been here. One of them has this statement on Monday: “We recently Compensation for traders? been here on a Sunday afternoon so total met with Keynsham ward and town This week town council clerk Dr Cheryl significant disruption for the coming year lack of engagement from start to finish so councillors to fully update them on Scott told The Week In: “The town from the public realm construction works. far.” Keynsham High Street public realm council has its own experience of “Establishing effective lines of The Week In asked B&NES Council to programme. disruption having had to vacate its offices communication between the contractors respond to the concerns and we received “We hope to start work soon on the first for a year during the Riverside and the traders throughout the progress of phase of public realm construction works owing to intolerable the works is vital and councillors feel that improvements, which is noise and dust levels. B&NES should be exploring whether between Charlton Road and “Therefore the council has already made some type of compensation could be Bath Hill, after delays caused representation to B&NES about the plight made available should the works by the pandemic and supply of the traders given they have just come disruption prove damaging to the of certain materials. We have through a pandemic and now there will be businesses in the High Street.” also written to traders to inform them of our intention to start construction works Keep in touch, let us know what you and invited them to meet the council’s contractor. Further think, send us your news Major works are due to take place in Keynsham updates will follow as soon www.facebook.com/theweekin town centre as a start date is confirmed.” The Week in • Wednesday 31st March 2021 3 More vandalism in park Keynsham Memorial Park was the scene of more acts of distance before being tipped into the river and as the picture vandalism last weekend. above shows, rubbish and broken bottles were found around Benches from the park café were apparently dragged some the bandstand on Saturday morning. THE WEEK IN Home COVID-19 testing Barrs Court, Bitton, Brislington, kits available to collect Cadbury Heath, Compton Dando, Corston, Downend, Emersons Green, Fishponds, Hanham, Hillfields, across South Glos Keynsham, Kingswood, Longwell Home rapid COVID testing kits can now • BAWA Healthcare and Leisure at 89 Green, Mangotsfield, Marksbury, be collected from six sites across South Southmead Road, Filton. North Common, Oldland Common, Gloucestershire. 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