Positive moves to regenerate Newtown town centre

Plans to make Newtown town council fit for the mid-21st century are moving forward, and parking has already raised its head in the plans.

Newtown Town Council is setting up a Town Centre Strategy Plan Usage and Design group as part of its Place Plan.

The group, lead by the town council, will soon be asking businesses, residents and voluntary groups to join it.

A report going before the council's Strategic and Corporate Projects Committee on Thursday states initial discussions are already going well with local businesses.

And many businesses highlighted car parking as a key to attracting more people into the town to visit and shop.

"The project lead has approached retailers and eateries within our high street, a popular topic for discussion was related to car parking issues that impacted on the footfall coming into our town, many suggestions were put forward and it will be something the working group could look into once it has been fully established," said the report.

"Most feedback was positive with what the Town Council are proposing to achieve for the future of the town centre.The initial approach has raised the profile of the town council as one which wishes to work with local businesses.

"Moving forward, a formal letter will be sent out to the public, private and voluntary sectors previously listed, to ask if they would consider joining us as part of a committee in our plans for the Town centre."