North Herts Council recently acquired the leasehold for the Churchgate Shopping Centre and ahead of drawing up proposals for the site, would like to invite residents and businesses to take part in its initial consultation to get their views on what they would most like to see in the centre.
The survey opens today, 5 December, for two months, closing on 5 February, and will only take a few minutes to complete.
Plans are also underway to open a Churchgate Communications Hub. The Hub will be a unit within Churchgate itself and will provide a centre for the community to meet the team, meet Councillors and find out more about the project so far (and as it matures). Look out for an announcement regarding the opening of the Hub in the coming weeks!
Following this initial consultation, the council will coordinate a tender process in a bid to appoint a developer to work alongside the council throughout the regeneration process and. create a series of proposals for the Centre. The community will have the opportunity to be a part of the process and share their views throughout 2023.
Cllr Keith Hoskins, North Herts Council’s Executive Member for Enterprise and Arts said: “Feedback and input from our communities about how their local town centre works for them is invaluable. Whilst we have big ambitions to improve the Churchgate Shopping Centre, this only works if the result is welcomed by the very people who use it regularly.
“Hitchin is a wonderful market town with a huge amount of potential and this investment will help improve the offer for residents and attract people to the town centre.”
Cllr Ian Albert, Chair of North Herts Council’s Hitchin Committee, said: “We have a real opportunity here to get this right so I would urge as many people as possible to take part in this initial consultation. We can’t promise we’ll be able to do everything, but your ideas will help us shape our vision.”
Throughout 2023 the council will be asking for feedback from our communities, including current Churchgate tenants, and other stakeholders such as Hitchin Market.
Be a part of the Churchgate journey from today by having your say!
More information and survey: Churchgate Shopping Centre regeneration
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