Kingswood’s Labour councillors are urging the West of England’s Conservative decision makers to select their town centre as South Gloucestershire’s pilot area for high street investment.

The West of England Combined Authority (WECA) today announced that up to £10m is set to be invested in boosting the region’s high streets, and it will initially fund three pilot projects including one in South Gloucestershire.

Kingswood town centre, in common with many across the country, has faced a difficult time in recent years with shops and banks moving out, leaving empty units. The shopping centre was set for redevelopment but this has now been put on hold.

Kingswood’s Labour councillors have worked hard and closely with a number of community projects committed to improving the town centre, including as Trustees of the Whitfield Tabernacle project which aims to create community space from Kingswood’s historic premier listed building. They have also played a central role in the Kingswood Business Association, which is chaired by a local councillor.  They support and work closely with Friends of Kingswood Park working tirelessly to improve the local park, and labouring away to improve the appearance of the area with regular litter picks and flower planting.

Kingswood councillor and Labour Group Leader Councillor Pat Rooney says:

“Kingswood town centre has a great deal of potential and a lot of local people have invested their time and energies into improving its appearance, and to make Whitfield Tabernacle an asset working for the community. But it is obvious that improving the retail strength of our high street is the key to its long-term success. An injection of cash and focus from WECA is just what we need at this time.

 

Kingswood is in many ways the gateway into South Gloucestershire, so I urge the Metro Mayor and the district’s own representative on WECA to select Kingswood as the South Gloucestershire pilot.”

30 October 2018