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Investing in Bridgnorth

Posted Monday 23 September, 2013 in News

Impact of £450,000 investment begins to be felt!

A number of exciting projects have been supported, and others are being finalised, to benefit from a share of £450,000 made available to Bridgnorth through Shropshire Council’s new Market Towns Revitalisation Programme.

The money is available until March 2013 to spend on capital schemes that will provide an immediate stimulus to the town.

Ideas developed with the community

Thanks go out to Bridgnorth people who provided lots of exciting ideas for using the money. Ideas came in through a range of mechanisms, including the local joint committee, the Community Toolkit, the initial findings of the Bridgnorth Town Plan, direct conversations with officers and councillors and through the local media. The ongoing work of the Bridgnorth Town Plan has provided an ideal platform for project delivery with key groups and organisations in the town.

Working with the town council, Shropshire councillors selected a number of these projects to be developed further:

  • St Leonard’s Church – £100,000 granted towards £200,000 of improvements to support wider community use and the key role of the building as an events venue. Work commenced in June 2012
  • St James’s Church Hall – work is about to commence on a £250,000 revitalisation of St James’s Church Hall on Lodge Lane, a much used community facility that has seen little investment in its 50 year history. £100,000 from the MTRP has been matched by Veolia Environmental Trust and, combined with various local grants and lots of fundraising, the project is about to commence, with work scheduled to be completed by Christmas 2012. Works include new windows, doors, external cladding, insulation, the creation of two new community rooms, new kitchen, new toilets, and a new heating system. These works will enable the hall to fulfil its potential of delivering a wider range of services to the community, including the outreach services of Shropshire Council, and services provided by other partners.
  • Riverside enhancement work – a range of projects are being finalised to breathe new life into one of Bridgnorth’s biggest assets – the riverside. Many concerns were raised about the condition of much of the riverside, particularly overgrown vegetation and a lack of maintenance. A programme of works is now being finalised with a range of community partners and representatives, including vegetation clearance and management, new street furniture, replacement railings, and some repaving/resurfacing works. A management plan is being developed with key partners to ensure that any investment is safeguarded for years to come. A feature lighting scheme for the bridge is also being investigated as the jewel in the crown of the project.
  • Exciting proposals for Severn Park – the vision for a new building on Severn Park is becoming clear as exciting proposals are developed by local architects Johnson Design Partnership, on behalf of Bridgnorth Town Council. The building is aiming to provide a range of facilities for residents and visitors alike, including a café/refreshment area, toilets, visitor information and a meeting/exhibition space. The project has great potential to act as a landmark building for the town, to help visitors explore Bridgnorth more effectively and to provide much needed facilities for all users of the park.
  • Castle Walk and steps – work is underway on a range of enhancement and conservation works to the town’s unique steps and castle walk. Many residents expressed concern over the condition of these areas, and as a result the project was an early priority for the MTRP. Alongside the conservation works an exciting interpretation scheme is being developed that tells the vibrant story of the steps and their key role in the town’s social history. Work has commenced on the steps, and it is expected that the whole project will be completed by Spring 2013. For further information, please follow the link below.
  • World Café a success – a business event using the World Café format brought together a range of businesses from across all sectors in Bridgnorth to help understand how the business community can be more effectively supported. A range of ideas are being developed following this event. Watch this space or get in touch for more information!

A number of ideas put forward by the community have been agreed as not being deliverable through the Market Towns Programme. However, they are being worked on through other avenues as they are very important for the town. These include a range of projects to look into more effective provision of business space, business support and training space in Bridgnorth, environmental improvements in the Tasley Close area, and a footpath between Cantreyn and Cross Lane Head.

32 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reviews
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I thoroughly enjoyed working through the design process with Johnson Design Partnership. They explained what was required each step of the way and achieved Planning Permission for my Paragraph 79 / House, first time! (Resolution to grant consent).

I would always recommend Johnson Design Partnership to anyone looking to create an Architecturally exciting project or indeed another successful paragraph 80 house.

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Simon Aldridge, Paragraph 79 House
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We looked at a couple of different Architect Practices whilst deciding on which to use for our house renovation, and immediately warmed to the team at Johnson Design Partnership Ltd. They were smart, professional, and following a visit to the property issued us with a comprehensive plan… We were both very impressed at the understanding and the detail that had gone in to finding out exactly what we wanted… Johnson Design Partnership handled the tender process with the Building contractors and again we were very happy with the choice that we made…. There was nothing left to chance and the whole team were a pleasure to work with… We really are very pleased with how the house was transformed throughout the five months that the builders were deconstructing it and then reconstructing it, and the end results are amazing, we love our home, and would and have recommended Johnson Design Partnership to friends and family alike

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Faye Lee, Telford
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It had taken eighteen months for us to decide that we would re-locate to the ‘Strettons’. Moving house for us meant also moving an established ceramics and painting studio, we were concerned about finding a property within our budget that would also have the appropriate space.

It was obvious from our early property searches that finding the perfect ‘fit’ was very unlikely, so we took the opportunity to visit an open information weekend run by Johnson Design Partnership. We were immediately encouraged by what we saw and once we had purchased the property, we invited Johnson Design to visit and take a look.

Our original idea was to do a loft conversion as planning permission was already in place, but after a couple of exploratory meetings it became clear that this was unlikely to exploit the position of the property to its best advantage or indeed answer our need for comfortable bespoke studio space. These design conversations helped us focus on the true potential of the property, gradually the idea of a glass link between the original house and separate garage emerged as the way forward.

The final result is overwhelmingly better than we imagined it might be. ‘The Link ‘ has already become a creative centre, providing a light and airy space connecting inside and outside areas from both studio and house; not only is it a functional dining and living area but a truly peaceful and contemplative place to soak up the stunning changes in light of the sky and the landscape which surround us, but also a space to dream and imagine – a painting or ceramic form in the making?

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Mr and Mrs Farrell - Stretton Hills, Shropshire
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We engaged Johnson Design 4 years ago at the start of a big renovation and new build project. Matt Spinks has always taken our ideas or vague notions of an idea and turned them into something innovative which is both attractive and practical. We were delighted with the final plans which went straight through planning permission, even though part of the project was a Grade 2 listed renovation. As a project manager Matt has also been first rate and thoroughly supportive. We would not hesitate to recommend Johnson Design.

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Lynda Hall
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Many thanks to Johnson Design for delivering exactly what we wanted: A bright, flexible, modern space which brings the garden and the lovely views of the upper Corvedale into our home, without losing anything of the character and warmth of our historic stone farmhouse. The family home of nearly 30 years has been greatly enhanced, giving a perfect blend of old and new, and the perfect venue for entertaining and family get-togethers. The extension was the proud focus for our wedding celebration and garden party for more than 100 guests over the Bank Holiday weekend, and bought in more admiring comments than we could count!

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Mr and Mrs Coad - Much Wenlock
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We would recommend Johnson Design for those wanting to extend their home. They came up with an original concept and layout, moving the stairs was something we’d not even considered but it works really well. They then worked with us to accommodate our ideas, making the design collaborative. They talked us through the various stages of the process and explained everything, also because they handled everything it meant we didn’t need to get involved with the complexities of the planning process.

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Mr and Mrs Clary – Bridgnorth, Shropshire
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We would be happy recommending Johnson Design Partnership; we found them easy to work with and responsive to our changes and questions

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Mr and Mrs Mancey – Shrewsbury, Shropshire
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“We wanted a small extension to the rear of our property, to create an open-plan kitchen dining area. Vic and Matt helped us understand what could be achieved ticking all our wish list and more by also adding a utility and downstairs toilet creating a space we didn’t think was possible. They supported us at every stage of the project through to completion, providing their expertise every step of the way, making the whole process painless. We are really pleased with the result, turning our house into our dream family home.”

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Mark Evans