Holt vision plans for town redevelopment at Star Plain and Fish Hill. PHOTO: Allies and Morrison Urban Practitioners

POLL: £30,000 Holt Vision report unveiled revealing ambitious plans for the Georgian town

By DONNA-LOUISE BISHOP, Reporter Thursday, February 23, 2012
8:15 AM

The elegant Georgian streets and bustling shopping mews of Holt make it one of the jewels in Norfolk’s crown.

But it has not stopped the community dreaming up a vision for its future, which aims to improve the townscape and the lives of its residents.

Among the ambitious plans are new town squares for market stalls and cultural events, and proposals to help young people find work.

But a survey by the EDP found many people on the street had not heard of the masterplan – and felt it was less important than the long-standing campaign to provide a new car park to ease the town’s traffic congestion, which many traders fear is holding it back.

The Holt Vision final report is the result of a £30,000 project – funded by a £25,000 grant from North Norfolk Community Partnership and £5,000 from the town council – which has been in the making since August last year.

Main proposals of the Vision

- Preserve the historical Georgian character

- Investment in the creation of more public spaces for ceremonial use at Market Place and for people to sit, eat and take in the views at Shirehall Plain and Fish Hill

- Introduction of an affordable, traditional market on Star Plain

- Preserve short term on-street parking and encouraging opportunities for long term parking

- Improve links for people to walk and cycle around the town and further afield to Holt Hall, Holt Country Park and North Norfolk Railway

- Improve transport links to enhance employment and leisure opportunities

- Increase retail opportunities in the town centre

- Establish Holt Hall as a centre of innovation in new environmental and energy technologies

- Support provisions of education, training and activities and on-going work at Holt Youth Project

- Ensure young people stay in the local area and find suitable work but also to meet the needs of all age groups

- Refurbishing buildings for alternative uses including Thaxters of Holt site

- Improving the flow of traffic and visitors by introducing new signs

- Raising the profile of the civic buildings

It has set out ways of boosting the Georgian town’s economy and environment.

The plans look to the next 25 years, but ambitiously the report’s aim is to see the changes implemented within the next three to five.

Its most ambitious concept is to create three new town squares in Market Place, Fish Hill and Shirehall Plain by pedestrianising areas and closing roads to traffic.

Plans laid out for Market Place would see the main road become wrapped around the war memorial, closing off part of the road to become a civic and ceremonial area.

Fish Hill would become a cultural hub with café tables occupying the street, and a weekly market is proposed to set up shop in Star Plain.

And finally, Shirehall Plain, the most controversial of the proposed areas, would become a stand-alone public space, potentially closing off a section of Albert Street to traffic.

Holt mayor Bryan Payne,a member of Holt Vision Board, praised the ethos behind the plan.

“We have to keep moving forward, however nice Holt is,” he said.

“The improvements would make shopping there a lot easier and more pleasant.

“We have to enhance it more and we also need to answer concerns about deprivation and young people.”

For as well as improving the appeal of Holt, an important aspect of the study is ways in which to boost the town’s economy and support its working population to create more jobs and better transport links.

Mr Payne was hopeful the plans would make Holt more “prosperous” for young people to live, work and stay in the town.

“We must not get away from the fact there are other things in the Vision –not just the town centre. It also deals with the economics of the town,” he added.

The plans have looked at establishing Holt Hall as a centre of innovation in new environmental and energy technologies, securing high-speed broadband connectivity for the  town and creating 50 more jobs for young people over five years by building on the Achieving Confidence and Training programme already established by the Youth Project.

It also suggests improvements to foot and cycle paths into Holt and the surrounding area, including the creation of more bike parking and pedestrian crossing.

But Mr Payne, while supporting these ideas, emphasised that the Vision could not be implemented until appropriate car parking becomes available.

“The car park is crucial to the whole plan and to the future of Holt,” he said.

“A lot of this scheme can’t work or start without it.”

Discussions are on-going with Norfolk County Council and landowner Graham Chapman regarding plans to build a 385-space car park on the land off Thornage Road.

Mr Payne said the council had “pushed” as much as they could but that the final outcome remained with the developer.

“If you can fight out the difficult situation of the car park then the Vision could be good,” he added.

In the meantime developers of Thaxters of Holt timber and DIY yard have announced plans to incorporate 82 free, two-hour parking spaces if plans for a supermarket go ahead.

Tim Schofield, partner of the developers, Norwood Homes (Westgate) LLP, confirmed this week that “negotiations were on-going” with a long term lease agreement “in principal” with the Anglia Regional Co-operative Society.

Although the Vision earmarked the site for a high-tech business park, the overall aims of promoting jobs and opportunities does not conflict with the Thaxters scheme – which has drawn support in a poll on the EDP website with 73pc (207 people) in favour and only 27pc (78) against.

Anglia Co-operative retail executive Andy Simpson confirmed they were in discussions about Holt, which  had been a “target town” for some time.

The Vision Board hope to begin work as early as before the end of the year on projects such as improving the look of the roundabout at the end of the bypass, introducing the market, and making improvements to paving – funding pending.

Louise Mansfield, from architects Allies and Morrison, said that all the plans could be tested for their suitability before any permanent work was carried out.

Their report has now been handed back to the Vision Board and a meeting to discuss the future of the plans will take place at the last board meeting in March.

The idea is to create a Vision Strategy Committee which would meet quarterly and would be broken down into project sub-groups.

With Holt being such a popular tourist town and a place so well renowned both in and out of the county, the plans would be scrutinised closely by a reference panel.

The panel’s job would be to check the committee were carrying out plans from the Vision report to an agreed time limit, yet to be set.

There would also be an overarching retaining board to check support was in place.

· The final report of A Vision for Holt is available online at www.holttowncouncil.org or can be borrowed from Holt Library.

· Click on the photo gallery in the top right-hand corner of the webpage to get a sneak-peak of the plans.

What the people of Holt said.

Carol Heslin, and Mandy Chapman, both 49, from Briston who are regular shoppers to the town, had not heard of the plans.

Mrs Heslin said: “It is a busy town and it’s hard to say if it will benefit or not. I think it’s a nice little town how it is. It all depends on how much car parking will be left.”

Mrs Chapman added: “There’s definitely not enough places for people to sit in Holt. I don’t think there’s any harm in drawing up plans for the town’s future and I think a market will bring more people in.”

Holt resident Anita Jones, 44, and former resident of 30 years Lesley Barrington, 54, had heard of the Vision.

Mrs Jones said: “I think there’s too much pedestrianisation in the Vision plans. Holt is still a town that has to work from day to day. I think it’s a jolly lot of money to spend when they could have gone around the town and found out what people thought.”

Mrs Barrington said: “I don’t see how it will work. I do think it’s good to have a change, but people are afraid of that. The Vision is a big degree of change but things do need to move forward.”

Lindsay Furniss, owner of the Tannery leather shop in Bull Street was aware of the Vision, saying: “I think Holt needs a development plan.

“It’s a beautiful town and it needs to be in keeping with the Georgian heritage, but without the car parking in place I don’t know how it will work. I am positive about Holt Vision but I would like to understand how it will be funded and what the timeline is.”

Denise Benbow, 49, business partner at Benbows Fruiterers in the High Street was unaware of the Vision.

She said: “I don’t think Holt needs a Vision plan for the future, but there is a need for parking.

“I don’t think we need anything else in the town as I think we have enough. There’s everything here already.

“We would have more people come here if there was more parking spaces.”

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26 comments

I can't see where Acle Straight expressed a hatred for Tesco, just highlighting a real possibility. Newsflash: the difficulties imposed by the County Council for Graham Chapman have been immense. Every obstacle has been put in his way and should Tesco come along and take the burden off his shoulders, I would say good luck to him. Whether such a situation would bring good luck to Holt is another story, but the funding for the Vision would certainly be secured if Tesco wished to get their foot in the door. The talks taking place at North Walsham's illustrate Tesco's desire to take over car parks!

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Tufty

Friday, February 24, 2012
What is the obsession with those that hate Tescos wanting to bring it up? Acle Straight the Thornage Rd car park is between Graham Chapman and County Council. It's unlikely the Council is making Graham's life difficult so he can propose a Tescos instead!

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Newsflash

Friday, February 24, 2012
Wouldn't surprise me if the hidden agenda behind all the obstacles put in the way of developing the Thornage Road Car Park leads to the site being sold to Tesco. Then Holt would have a car park, another supermarket (to satisfy all those who think Holt needs more supermarkets) and the sweetener of all the funding that's necessary to implement their Vision.

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Acle Straight

Friday, February 24, 2012
No Marilyn, we have a Chairman who prefers to be called a Mayor!

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Tufty

Friday, February 24, 2012
What? We have a Mayor!!!

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marilyn munroe

Thursday, February 23, 2012
Co-op eh? good, makes a change to have a shop that we can actually shop in, I mean, just how many life style shops, art galleries and estate agents does one small town need, as for the Vision, well, show me the money!

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marilyn munroe

Thursday, February 23, 2012
i once went to Holt and a shopkeeper was chuffed to bits that Dawn French had visited him.Says it all.....

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bookworm

Thursday, February 23, 2012
who wants a seedy market place? skids over on cabbage leaf.....

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bookworm

Thursday, February 23, 2012
where will the disabled park for the post office ?

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Double Bill

Thursday, February 23, 2012
It seems a shame that the Councilpartnership didn't have the "vision" to properly inform the residents and business owners of Holt about their plans to spend £30k. This "vision" also begs the question as to why a local Architect was not commissioned to carry out this work. Firstly the parking situation in Holt needs to be properly addressed to cope with the ever rising population of the area before measures are taken to pulling in yet more people to fight over the few car parking spaces we have already.

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It's_all_a_conspiracy

Thursday, February 23, 2012
I Completely agree with Richard Kelham's earlier comments about the Holt Vision. The pedestrianisation of certain areas will certainly make it more of an attractive shopping area. It will make it safer and easier for shoppers without harming the towns traditional feel. These areas would have originally been car free anyway.

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Callum Ringer

Thursday, February 23, 2012
A Co-operative supermarket? The "insiders" said it was Tesco!

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Newsflash

Thursday, February 23, 2012
Lets see now 76% so far of voters on the EDP poll say NO. Well thats a done deal then, as the Holt Council never took any notice of the people when it come to changing over to a Mayor? So it will go ahead then, thats democracy for you?

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Farquarson-Smythe

Thursday, February 23, 2012
It seems a shame that the Councilpartnership didn't have the "vision" to properly inform the residents and business owners of Holt about their plans to spend £30k. This "vision" also begs the question as to why a local Architect was not commissioned to carry out this work. Firstly the parking situation in Holt needs to be properly addressed to cope with the ever rising population of the area before measures are taken to pulling in yet more people to fight over the few car parking spaces we have already.

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It's_all_a_conspiracy

Thursday, February 23, 2012
Holt doesn't exactly stand out as a place that needs revamping. and a market would only tarnish the beauty and luxury of the town anyway. seems a pointless spend of money. I do agree with Ben though, why a London firm for design, a local firm would implement much better ideas at a fraction of the price.

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Liam Doyle

Thursday, February 23, 2012
So it's the Co-Op then on Thaxters land and not Tesco as the Tesco-bashers thought! I like the Co-Op.

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samphirelover

Thursday, February 23, 2012
Market stalls in Holt? They tried that when Appleyard was opened and it didn't last 5 minutes. There was a whole row of little market stall-type booths for people to rent and they weren't successful.

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samphirelover

Thursday, February 23, 2012
all they need is a big car park. who needed to spend 30 grand on that?

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bookworm

Thursday, February 23, 2012
i agree that its a waste of cash and seems some clever suit wanted to "big up " his image by involving expensive outside consultants.

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bookworm

Thursday, February 23, 2012
73pc of nearly 300 on here believe Holt needs a new supermarket but it's not addressed in the vision. How confident are they that the referendum will give them the vote they need to proceed?

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Newsflash

Thursday, February 23, 2012
I see the usual "not invented here so no good" trolls are out in force. The Holt Vision plans are excellent and would do much to boost the town's attractiveness and prosperity – let's face it, some parts of Holt centre are a bloody mess and too dominated by cars.

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Richard Kelham

Thursday, February 23, 2012
It seems a shame that the Councilpartnership didn't have the "vision" to properly inform the residents and business owners of Holt about their plans to spend £30k. This "vision" also begs the question as to why a local Architect was not commissioned to carry out this work. Firstly the parking situation in Holt needs to be properly addressed to cope with the ever rising population of the area before measures are taken to pulling in yet more people to fight over the few car parking spaces we have already.

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It's_all_a_conspiracy

Thursday, February 23, 2012
Cars ruin this interesting town for me. Yet, the only reasonable way to visit Holt is by car. They have identified the solution - pedestrian zones with fringe parking.

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oldowl

Thursday, February 23, 2012
Note that the majority of local people interviewed did not know anything about the Holt Vision. This is not a 'community dream'. It is based on the views of a firm of London architects after a snapshot visit to Holt. The views of the residents of Holt were certainly not taken into account. £30,000 would have been better spent on building a footpath from the proposed Thornage Road car park into Valley Lane. Civic spaces for Town Mayors ... what a joke!

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Tufty

Thursday, February 23, 2012
Yes, very costly... Also, why has an Architect firm from LONDON got this job?!? There would have been plenty of local firms (myself included to be honest) who would have loved to have been given the opportunity. What does a firm from London know about Holt and its needs anyway. Plus I don't even want to imagine how overinflated their fees are!

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Ben Bullen

Thursday, February 23, 2012
it needs direction but this doesnt do much for residents . the stuff like supermarket and car parking isnt included . very costly !

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Double Bill

Thursday, February 23, 2012