Project
Bishop’s Stortford Town Centre Planning Framework
East Hertfordshire District Council
Lichfields was jointly appointed with Allies and Morrison Urban Practitioners to prepare a town centre planning framework for the historic market town of Bishop’s Stortford. The planning framework provides a strategic vision for future development and investment in the town centre, in order to maximise the potential of the town’s assets and inform the development of significant sites. The framework takes into account the town’s current and future economic role, along with movement and design considerations. The 20 year plan is expected to support the Council’s preparation of the emerging East Hertfordshire District Plan and has been coordinated with the Neighbourhood Plan for the town centre.
Our role encompassed a range of specialist inputs, including preparing development appraisals testing the viability of alternative development options for key sites, shaping an economic growth strategy, and assessing the need for retail and town centre uses.
Bishop’s Stortford is an attractive historic market town, but the town centre is punching below its weight. The Planning Framework provides a holistic and multi-disciplinary approach that explores how the town centre can evolve in the future.
Peter Wilks, Head of Public Sector, Lichfields
Image credit: Marcel Lesky