Consultations to look at ways to improve the public spaces within Crickhowell town centres will begin this week.

Working together with Amey Consulting and LDA Design, Powys County Council islooking at ways to improve the public spaces within Crickhowell and Brecon town centres and are keen to hear the thoughts, experiences and concerns of local people, businesses and visitors on how they use the town centres and how they could be improved.

In Crickhowell, the focus is on improving pedestrian priority and experience, considering drainage issues, and enhancing identity along the length of the High Street.

In Brecon the focus is on improving pedestrian priority and experience, improving connections and biodiversity and creating a safe, accessible public areas that enhances the unique qualities of the town along the length of the High Street; including the Struet, High Street Superior, High Street Inferior and the Bulwark.

“These projects originated from the installation of the temporary Covid interventions for social distancing in 2020 which created additional spill out space for pedestrians and reduced the number of parking spaces” explains Cllr Jackie Charlton, cabinet member for a Greener Powys.

“The temporary measures highlighted how our town centres can evolve and make use of space differently. The pandemic gave rise to an element of café culture being experienced within our towns and an enthusiasm for embracing our outside areas, which is something that many thought they would like to see retained into the future.

“Following an initial informal engagement exercise with the local communities back in June 2021, we have considered peoples view and taken the opportunity to look at how and if the temporary interventions may become permanent and what other opportunities and benefits could be achieved at the same time.

“It is important to balance the views of all users of the town centres; visitors, residents and businesses. These place specific consultations will provide valuable feedback which will be used to shape how the town centres look, work, and feel in the future.”

To view and have your say on the proposals for improving the public spaces within Crickhowell, please visit: https://www.haveyoursaypowys.wales/transforming-towns