PLANS have been unveiled to enhance a well-used section of a Hampshire town centre town centre as part of a £1 million-pound redevelopment.

Civic chiefs announced the proposals to improve Market Place in Romsey earlier this week, which is the third phase of major works to make the town centre a more attractive destination for shoppers and visitors.

The three options for the latest phase, which were drawn up by the Ccounty Ccouncil and Test Valley Borough Council, include making the road and footway one level and building a large pedestrian space and sitting area. All proposals also seek to reduce vehicle speeds and increase safety.

The news has been welcomed by many in the area, who have raised issues with the safety of the town.

County councillor for Romsey Town Mark Cooper said the new design should make the town centre safer and more inviting. “We have been working on this for some time now and I am happy with the general plans that have been put forward,” he said.

“Basically the whole plan is to make the centre of the town a more attractive place to meet. That is why the plans include more paved areas.

“The safety aspect has also been carefully thought about. The plans will also see vehicles moving through the area much more slowly. We want all our pedestrians to feel that it is their town rather than a town taken over by cars.

“We will also be using Yorkstone, which sets flatter, and although we cannot prevent falls, we hope that this will help to minimise it. However, it is important that the long-term maintenance is kept up.”

As reported, the first phase of the improvements took place in Church Street earlier this year.

The works included the raising of the carriageway to the same level as the footpaths and the narrowing of the road to encourage lower vehicle speeds. Street furniture was also replaced.

The second phase, which is due to start early next year, will enhance Bell Street. It will include making the road and footway one level from just north of the Newton Lane junction up to the Market Place.

The footways on Bell Street will also be repaved with Yorkstone – in keeping with the scheme which was recently completed in Church Street – and the road will be resurfaced and narrowed in order to reduce vehicle speeds and aid accessibility. On-street parking will also be removed so that the wider walkways can be accommodated.

In total, the county council says the three-phased scheme will cost at least £1.5 million.

The County Council’s executive member for environment and transport, Cllr Rob Humby, said the Market Place improvements will address long-standing issues.

“This is the third and largest phase of the wide scale enhancement project,” he added.

“The improvements will address the long-standing issue of narrow and uneven footways and seek to reduce the dominance of motor vehicles, boosting the town’s economic viability making it a more attractive destination to visit and shop, whilst complementing its historic character.

“We have worked closely with the public on these improvements, ensuring that the designs reflect the feedback received since the first phase of works was implemented in Church Street.”

County council leader, and member for Romsey Extra, Cllr Roy Perry added: “The need to maintain existing access requirements, coupled with the wider traffic impacts means it isn’t considered appropriate for Romsey to have a full pedestrianisation scheme like Winchester. However, the prospect of at least some space to sit out in the sun for a cup of tea or coffee whilst generally slowing traffic down on the roads seems very tempting.

“Romsey town centre is already an attractive and vibrant place to visit, and I am keen we seize this opportunity to enhance its quality still further so that it continues to flourish. I hope to see an outcome that benefits traders, residents, regular shoppers and tourists who love to visit the town. As a result of online shopping, many town centres are suffering but Romsey has a great chance to defeat that trend and continue to prosper.”

The proposals will be on show at Romsey Town Hall on Saturday (November 5), between 10am-noon, and on November 7, 9am-5pm.