Vision of Winchester 2012

The Vision For Winchester Town 2012 – 2017 1 Why do we need a vision? 2 What does the vision say? 3 What is it about Winchester that we all value? 4 Themes for our future 5 Encouraging people to create economic prosperity 6 Caring about our history, heritage and setting; 7 Remaining a natural destination for visitors and shoppers; 8 Providing new and affordable housing; 9 Improving transport, access and air quality; 10 Becoming a regional centre for creativity and culture; 11 Creating a green and environmentally friendly city; 12 The Winchester Economy 13 Balancing potential conflicts between objectives What next? So has the Town Forum set out the ‘right’ vision for you? 14 Our vital statistics: Appendix: The Town Forum Foreword Welcome to the Vision for Winchester Town Throughout its 2,000 year history Winchester has evolved and that process must continue in the new century. In doing so it must not lose its unique identity. We – the people who live and work in Winchester – must ensure that our town retains the essential characteristics of our heritage, our culture and our communities. We must also tackle the problems that we face; providing sustainable The Kite Flyer, Parchment Street economic prosperity, adapting to a low carbon economy, traffic congestion and designing the right kind of development of housing and employment. We have an obligation to future residents not to deny the need for change or to pretend Winchester is unique in defying the impact of external factors on its outlook. This document aims to help us meet the challenge of change. It’s not a plan, it’s a guide – a vision for the things we want to achieve. Its aim is to guide policy makers, planners and all who can and will shape our town. Watermeadows The vision is proposed by Winchester’s Town Forum on behalf of Winchester as a whole. It is an update of the first vision document produced in 2006. Significant elements are unchanged because they remain valid. Other parts have been updated following discussions the Forum has hosted about various aspects of Winchester life. The Forum’s Members will champion this vision, keeping it under review, encouraging the City Council and others to help make its aspirations reality. And this is not just for the City Council; it provides a common focus and shared agenda for all organisations who can help shape our future. Most importantly, this must be a shared vision. I want to encourage all who read it to ask “what can Winchester become?” and “how can I help realise this vision?”. Councillor Brian Collin Chair, Winchester Town Forum 1 – for clarity this document uses the term ‘town’ to refer to the unparished area represented by the Wards of St Barnabas, St Bartholomew, St John & All Saints, St Luke, St Michael and St Paul – what is traditionally Badger Farm referred to as the old city of Winchester Vision for Winchester Town 2010 – 2020 i Vision for Winchester Town 2010 – 2020 Why do we need a vision? 1 G the opening of the new Discovery Centre, a joint project between the City and the County Council G a new athletics stadium with synthetic turf pitch developed in partnership between the City Council and the University of Winchester G a new building in a new location for the Trinity Centre; G a new centre for an Emmaus project Why do we need a vision? G major new facilities on the University of Winchester, like many historic towns, faces huge Winchester campus challenges. They come from the need to ensure the sustainable prosperity of our economy, from the G the refurbishment of the City centre by need to address the shortage of housing which is repaving the High Street and the Square affordable to rent or buy, from the demands and G new retail and community service provision in consequences of increased transport and mobility, Weeke and from the higher expectations of our citizens. G the opening of the South of Winchester park Our unique historic and natural environment, which and ride makes Winchester so attractive, has to be protected as we meet those challenges. G major new facilities at the Royal Hampshire County Hospital The character of a town is heavily dependent on its economic life – we need to ensure that Winchester G 800 homes built within the town wards is a place where jobs are created; where new G and, more recently, a long term reduction in businesses and moreover new styles of business public sector employment as part of the thrive. At the same time we must cherish our built national austerity programme and natural environment. The secret is to ensure we guide and manage change rather than being overwhelmed by it. That is why we need a vision, The severe economic downturn at the end of the last to say what we want our town to become and to decade has had relatively modest impact on overall give us control of our future. employment in Winchester; such is the strength of the local economy. But economic uncertainty The Academy of Urbanism produced a helpful report continues and Winchester will not be immune to its on the prospects for Winchester as part of its ‘Place effects. We cannot therefore rely on our past Partnering’ initiative in September 2011. This economic successes. The contraction in spending on suggested not only ‘what’ but ‘how’ the updated public sector activity could impact on a centre of vision could do to guide the future of Winchester administration like Winchester. New businesses may and this update draws on their report. It reminded struggle to find finance or premises. Our young us that Winchester is not an island. To meet the people need career opportunities. Major changes in challenges of the twenty-first century while planning and other government policies will affect developing an attractive modern town, we need to us as they effect every where else. We cannot rest on look outwards. Winchester has much to learn from our laurels. other places about best practice in urban living. An update rather than a rewrite of the vision published in the 2006, this document tries to paint a picture of our future based on what local people want their town to become. Not all will agree with everything here, and our views will evolve over time. The first vision document was effective in guiding policy making and practical improvements. In the last five years we have seen: Above: Winchester Sports Stadium Vision for Winchester Town 2010 – 2020 1 2 Vision for Winchester Town 2010 – 2020 What does the vision say? 2 What does the vision say? Since the Town Forum was established in 2002 it has hosted discussions on many different aspects of Winchester life: the local economy, retail and tourism, community safety, transport and housing have all been discussed. Local residents and local organisations have shared their views on these matters, and the Forum has helped shape all sorts of initiatives, from the exciting regeneration of Silver Hill to new community safety policies. A small group of members of the Town Forum took evidence from a wide section of bodies and Silver Hill redevelopment site individuals. The members brought their experience and knowledge of Winchester into the discussions. It has already been said that this is not a plan, so this vision does not set specific dates or allocate budgets This document follows the first vision in looking at to projects. Its aim is to encourage those life in Winchester from different thematic organisations with budgets and the ability to achieve perspectives. This time we have placed the section change – including the City and County Council, the on the economy first. This reflects the Forum’s view Police, our Universities, Sixth Form College and that the vision for the economy of Winchester is the schools, voluntary or health sectors, and the local most important theme. Economic prosperity makes business community – to do what the Winchester a crucial difference to individual and family well community has set out in this vision. being and makes so many other things possible. The vision then considers our heritage, tourism and The Town Forum is made up of representatives of all shopping, housing, transport, our culture and our parts of Winchester town, from Weeke in the north environment. For each of these themes the vision to St Cross in the south, Highcliffe in the east to tries to capture the aspirations for the town’s future Stanmore in the west. The vision is meant for all which represent a reasonable consensus of opinion. those communities, whether it is talking about the These aspirations are expressed simply as the key retail heart of town or maintaining the quality of our things which we, the Winchester community, will suburban housing estates. Its aim is to map out a achieve in the coming years. future for all aspects of life, and for all of our communities St. Catherines Hill Vision for Winchester Town 2010 – 2020 3 Hat Fair 4 Vision for Winchester Town 2010 – 2020 What is it about Winchester that we all value? 3 What is it about Winchester that we all value? Winchester has developed successfully over the centuries, growing steadily and meeting the needs and expectations of each new generation, while retaining its unique characteristics. Today, it is a distinctive and vibrant city in a remarkable setting, with a unique heritage arising from its ancient role as the capital of England and as a major centre of commerce, civil government, the church, the law and the military. The special nature of Winchester encompasses events like the hugely popular Hat Fair, Itchen navigation, Water Meadows unique buildings like the Cathedral and to special environment found in the water meadows.

Load more