Huge bid for town centre regeneration money

A multi-million-pound bid for government money to pay for the regeneration of Evesham town centre has been made.

If successful, the £9 million funding would see a number of new cycling and walking routes created in a bid to cut congestion throughout the busy town centre as well as support plans to create new heritage and tourist attractions.

Wychavon District Council has made the bid to the Government’s Levelling Up Fund which is designed to help support schemes that improve and regenerate town centres.

The council said the two-part project would focus on cutting congestion in Evesham by building more than three-and-a-half miles of new walking and cycling routes and improving a further four miles of existing routes.

Twelve new cycling and walking routes would be created connecting a number of existing homes and employment sites around Evesham as well as join up the planned 735 homes around Evesham, Badsey and Offenham and 100 acres of future employment sites.

The second part of the project would help pay towards creating a new heritage and visitor site in Evesham and kickstart the development of the town’s Riverside Shopping Centre.

Cllr Martin King, executive board member for town centres and council efficiency at Wychavon District Council, said: “While all our town and retail centres need help, there is a need for transformational change to support Evesham’s economic recovery that fits perfectly into the criteria for the Government’s Levelling Up Fund.

“We will obviously look for other investment opportunities, where appropriate, for other parts of the district but that’s why we have put forward Evesham on this occasion.

“If we’re successful with this bid then we have the chance to positively change perceptions of Evesham and build a stronger more sustainable town centre for everyone who lives, works and plays there.”

As part of the bid, improvements would also be made to the A46/B4035 near Lidl and a new crossing would be built on the road to unlock the National Cycle Network 442 which runs from Worcester to Evesham via Pershore and Honeybourne and Oxford.

The visitor attraction part of the bid builds on the council’s plans to buy Evesham Public Hall.

Under the plan the hall, ground floor and basement will be refurbished and remodelled as the new home for Evesham Arts Association.

As well as providing a home for an extensive arts programme, there would also be a café, rooms for hire and facilities for community activities including weddings and other functions.

The council is also working with the team from the Story of Evesham to create a “unique and innovative” multi-sensory virtual reality visitor attraction based on the town’s heritage.

The focus would be on the history of Evesham Abbey, Simon de Montfort and the Battle of Evesham.

Successful bids to the Levelling Up Fund are expected to be announced in the autumn.