Urbanism
Environment
Design

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In Summer 2021, East Staffordshire Borough Council (ESBC) commissioned URBED to undertake extensive public consultation in the rural market town of Uttoxeter, following publication of the 'Uttoxeter Masterplan Plus' report. This project followed prior successful collaboration with ESBC on the Burton Town Regeneration Strategy and the Burton Town Investment Plan consultation projects.  

The 'Uttoxeter Masterplan Plus' report (produced by Cushman & Wakefield and Lathams Architects) provides an analysis of current issues and prevailing market conditions, and introduces four ‘opportunity sites’ within the town of Uttoxeter: The Malings, Trinity Square Shopping Centre, The Quarry and The Wheatsheaf.

The easing of Covid-19 social distancing restrictions allowed the 2021 consultation process to maximise face-to-face engagement events, whilst the primary purpose of this further masterplan consultation exercise was to provide an opportunity for residents to influence the four key site-specific options.

URBED planned and organised ten well-attended consultation events over the summer of 2021, including:

A series of invited stakeholder workshops

• Invitations were sent to approximately 60 key figures and groups within the Uttoxeter community, and those with a strong vested interest in the potential redevelopment proposals.
• This included local business owners, community groups and societies, support groups and charities, housing providers, volunteers, landowners, council members and representatives of key public services such as GPs, schools and transport providers.
• Activities included a presentation about the Masterplan strategies followed by a group discussion to address concerns; assessing strengths, weaknesses, and missing facilities within Uttoxeter on Miro boards; and collaboratively discussing suggestions for the wider public consultation - such as venues and dates, and strategies for advertising events

7 weeks of open public consultation

• Including five in-person events and one online event faciliated by URBED. 
• These events targeted specific groups of people – such as Saturday shoppers, visitors to the Maker’s Market, families attending Lark in the Park, residents of the Heath area, and parents and pupils from Thomas Alleynes High School who use the Maltings Car Park for pick-up. 
• Approximately 300 members of the public came to talk to us across the various in-person public consultation events.
• Local people also had the opportunity to view display banners outside of facilitated events. The information banners were displayed at various venues in town, and online throughout the 7-week period

URBED created a questionnaire used to gather feedback – offered online via Survey Monkey and in printed format. 684 questionnaires were completed, providing a very reliable data sample and thereby ensuring that opinions expressed were  representative of the wider Uttoxeter community. A worksheet was also created for younger residents, and distributed to a local High School in September.

At the end of the commission, URBED created a report for submission to the Deputy Leader for Regeneration and Planning Policy at East Staffordshire Borough Council. The Cabinet at ESBC will now consider the next steps for Uttoxeter, taking this consultation into account.