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Tewkesbury Civic SocietyProtecting Tewkesbury's Architectural Heritage and ensuring today's developments add positively to it.
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Policies
Shopfront Design
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As has been said elsewhere, shopfronts are particularly important here in Tewkesbury. We have so many beautiful listed buildings lining our three main streets and many of these are shops. However, the quality of the current shopfront design is mixed, varying from the very good to the very bad, with all stages in between, so the asset value of the property is too often devalued hugely.
Click here to see a selection, we leave it to the viewer to distinguish the good from the bad! |
Shopfronts do require planning permission but there has been a tendency for this to be ignored and only if reported have some shop owners or their agents submitted retrospective applications. See ISSUES/DEVELOPMENTS WITHOUT PERMISSION for more detail.
Also, in the past there has been, the Society feels, a too relaxed approach to permitting some of the monstrosities we now have to live with!
As one can see in the Heritage Strategy, TBC are committed to delivering “Shop Front Guidelines” that if adopted will become part of planning law and thus help to improve the future street scene and prevent the worst shopfront design disasters (often imposed by national chains). See similar guide in Gloucester City below.
Also, in the past there has been, the Society feels, a too relaxed approach to permitting some of the monstrosities we now have to live with!
As one can see in the Heritage Strategy, TBC are committed to delivering “Shop Front Guidelines” that if adopted will become part of planning law and thus help to improve the future street scene and prevent the worst shopfront design disasters (often imposed by national chains). See similar guide in Gloucester City below.
Click on the picture to see Gloucester Shopfront guidance.
The Society has helped the Conservation Officer a little with developing this guidance for Tewkesbury.
In those towns and cities where such guidance has been willingly taken (or firmly enforced) the street scene can be much better and the enjoyment from being there, and spending there, so much more.
As can be read in the Heritage Strategy document, TBC have been successful in being awarded a High Street Heritage Action Zone (HSHAZ) £1.5M grant (which will be match funded) to secure lasting improvement to our historic High Street. Among the things planned will be a grant scheme for shopfront and façade improvements.
