Witney High Street and Market Square enhancements
Consultation has concluded
Where we are now
We have developed a preliminary draft plan (within the budget and funding requirements), using the feedback you gave us in the informal community engagement.
You can see the draft plan and share your thoughts on it between 12,00pm on 11 September 2024 and 11.59pm on 9 October 2024. The details and survey will be accessible here: https://letstalk.oxfordshire.gov.uk/witney-high-street-2 after 12,00pm on 11 September 2024.
Survey results
The results from our informal Witney High Street and Market Square Enhancement project community engagement are available to see in our documents on the right.
The results show that a majority of respondents support the scheme objectives and the most requested improvements for the High Street designs are better footway surfacing, more trees, more plants/gardens and more seating.
We are now in the process of engaging a consultant to work with us to develop a draft (preliminary) design that is both based on people’s feedback and is within the budget and requirements of the funding.
What happens next
A formal consultation on the draft design will take place during autumn 2024. That feedback will then be reviewed and used to make any necessary amendments to the draft design before construction begins in early 2025.
Timescales
| Activity | Date |
|---|---|
| Community engagement | Autumn 2023 |
| Public consultation to review design proposals | Autumn 2024 |
| Final design option agreed | Autumn 2024 |
| Construction start | Early 2025 |
| Construction finish | Summer 2025 |
Thank you again to everyone who has written to us, joined us for the drop-in events, councillor or business focus workshops, completed the survey, and/or contributed to the map. If you haven't been able to fill in the survey or make a mark on the map, you can still view the project details on this page, and you can contact us by email: witneyhighstreet@oxfordshire.gov.uk, or by writing to: Witney High Street Project, Oxfordshire County Council, County Hall, New Road, Oxford OX1 1ND.
About the project
The Witney High Street and Market Square enhancements project supports walking, wheeling and cycling objectives, and aims to deliver street improvements that support and maintain the new traffic arrangement in Witney High Street and Market Square.
Our vision is for Witney High Street and Market Square to be a healthy, attractive and historically rich environment that complements the character and vibrancy of the market town whilst managing the impacts of climate change through improved opportunities for walking, cycling and the use of public transport.
To deliver the vision, we are proposing five key objectives that could be achieved by the project:
- Enhance public spaces while protecting the town’s history and character
- Support local businesses and the markets
- Make it easier and more enjoyable to walk, wheel and cycle
- Upgrade access to public transport
- Improve safety for all users
Why is this project important?
Last year Oxfordshire County Council decided the traffic restriction on Witney High Street and Market Square should remain. The Witney High Street and Market Square enhancements scheme to aims to deliver street improvements that support and maintain the new traffic arrangement.
Now that there are many fewer vehicles travelling through the High Street and Market Square we can look again at how space could be reallocated to make the town centre a better place where people spend more time relaxing, shopping and socialising. The improvements would aim to complement the town’s history and character but would also help to improve the look and feel of Witney for visitors and for those arriving by walking, cycling or public transport.
Road maintenance
Milestone is carrying out some minor road works on Witney High Street at the Welch Way junction and Market Square at the Corn Street junction. installing temporary buildouts to make crossing the road near these junctions safer. These works are separate from the Witney High Street and Market Square enhancement project.
Providing feedback
The scheme is at an early stage and a design yet to be developed. We are seeking the views of Witney residents, businesses and visitors to help shape the designs by finding out what is important to the local community. This information will be used to develop a draft (preliminary) design. We will then consult on the draft (preliminary) design through a further, formal consultation early next year.
Please read the supporting information on the right hand side of this page.
The informal online survey and interactive map were open from 12:00pm on Tuesday 5 September until 11:59pm on Tuesday 3 October 2023.
There were two drop-in events on 9 September and 19 September where people were able to see the information in person and speak to the project team. The information on this page is the same as at the events, Please see the Drop-in events section on the right hand side of this page for more details.
The Frequently asked questions (FAQs) section provides answers to common queries about the scheme.
Witney High Street and Market Square interactive map
Once you've read through all the information about Witney High Street and Market Square enhancements and the supporting documents and completed the survey, you can add additional thoughts to this interactive map.
What elements are important to you? What would you like to see more of along the High Street and in the Market Square? Have we missed something?
Please add your comments or suggestions by dragging and dropping pins onto this interactive map.
To use the map, please follow these simple instructions:
- Locate the relevant location on the map. This can be done by zooming in and dragging the screen or by searching for a postcode or location using the magnifying tool in the top right hand corner of the map.
- Click the + icon on the left of the screen to reveal a list of pins. There are a number of pins for different topics/categories.
- Choose which pin you want to use
- Drag and drop your chosen pin onto your relevant location within the map. Please note the pins will only work for locations within the project boundary, which is marked in red. You cannot add pins outside the red line. If you are using as mobile device you will need to 'set this location' in the top right hand corner
- A box will pop up which allows you to add your comments and/or suggestions, provide further details or upload a photo.
- Repeat if you wish to add more pins.
All the information you provide via this map will be visible to other users and therefore we encourage you not to reveal any personal information about yourself or others.
To use this map you will need to provide an email and screen name or to register on Let's Talk Oxfordshire. Please note that your screen name will be publicly visible on the map.
If you have previously registered on Let's Talk Oxfordshire and wish to change your screen name, you can do this by selecting the person icon in the top right of your screen, then selecting 'edit profile'.
Witney High Street and Market Square Enhancement Scheme Community Engagement Report FINAL.pdf
Supporting information
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Witney High Street and Market Square enhancements location area map.pdf (1.08 MB) (pdf)
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Witney High Street and Market Square enhancements poster.pdf (281 KB) (pdf)
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Witney High Street and Market Square enhancements flyer.pdf (810 KB) (pdf)
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Witney High St and Market Square enhancements information boards.pdf (7.76 MB) (pdf)