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What Peach Place could look like after the regeneration
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Opinions split over town centre regeneration plans

By Jon Nurse
July 18, 2012

The latest plans to save the ‘dying town centre’ divided opinion when they went on show to the public.

More than a thousand people attended the exhibition in Elms Field on Friday and Saturday, and almost 100 completed feedback forms raising concerns about building style, traffic and the amount of green space.

What Wokingham Thinks: What's your impression of the town centre regen plans?

Feedback from last summer’s consultation was fed into the designs, but the town centre regeneration team will take the latest reaction to the plans back to the drawing board.

Project manager Bernie Pich said: “I’ve heard quite a few views saying ‘we need this now – the town is dying’.

“A lot of people have been filling in the feedback forms that we will collate, publish on our website and then look at how we can incorporate them into how we’re moving forward.”

Wokingham town centre will be transformed over the next four years with refurbishment and new retail in Peach Place, together with new shops, homes and a public park in Elms Field.

Nick Sims, 36, of Barkhart Gardens, said: “I think the town needs the regeneration. I’m not entirely convinced about some of these plans but I appreciate they have a difficult job.

“I think they are trying to do too much with too little in Elms Field. I’m not sold.”

Wokingham Town Councillor Barbara Bench said: “I like a lot of what I’ve seen, but I feel they haven’t captured the character of Wokingham.

“I think the plans for Peach Place are a little too modern and I know a lot of young people feel the same. We want it to stay as a market town.”

Iain Murdoch, 28, of Reading, added: “I think anything would be better than the way it is at the moment. I haven’t got a problem with it at all.

“If there isn’t any regeneration I think people might stop coming here. I do wonder if they’ll be able to fill the shops up though.”

Alistair Corrie, executive member for regeneration and affordable housing, said: “I think the team has done an amazing job. Everyone that has come has been impressed with the amount of effort that has gone in.

“We are listening as we want something that is modern but still Wokingham.”

Beverley Dennis, of Dales Lane, said: “It’s about time Wokingham is redeveloped. It will be good to get rid of some of the 1960s buildings.

“I think the roads would be much nicer if they were closed to traffic, even if it was just for a few hours during the day – people like shopping where there are no cars.”

Malcolm Hay, 55, of Ellison Way, added: “There are some good elements to these plans as well as some dubious elements. I don’t understand the need for a hotel and food store.

“I’m really concerned about the traffic problems. Getting in and out of Wokingham is already a nightmare.”

The exhibition will be in the council offices in Shute End until the end of the month.

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Larrys - you mention car park charges (as many others often do). Whilst all our neigbouring councils ahve regular increased their charges this council has kept them the same since 2008! We have also not gone down the route of charging for evenings or sundays where again many other councils have. We also provide the Shute end car park free on a Saturday.

So clearly overall we have the cheapest car parks in the area (excluding car parks that are specific to a superstore). So has this made any difference?The answer is yes - ticket sales on 20011/12 were up by 5.9% over last year which followed a previous years rise of 7.5%. In fact the 2011/12 number was the highest since 2007/8. This is a reasonable approximation of footfall.

In terms of the number of hours sold, this is even better. Hours sold in 2011/12 were 15.3% up on last year which followed a previous years rise of 13%. The 2011/12 hours sold was the highest since 2006/7. This is a reasonable approximation of how long people are staying in Wokingham Town.

Although it is early days for this fiscal year the first two months data indicate that this trend is continuing at similar high levels.

Finally, the charges are not scheduled to be reviewed until 2014 so that will be 6 years with prices frozen. I wonder how many organisations can say that?

Cllr Keith Baker
21/07/2012 at 11:05

There was a noticeable drop in trade when TESCO moved into its original site in the centre of town. Within a few years we lost the butchers, bakers, fish merchants and the only decent wine merchant. When it moved down the road the problem is that none of these returned.

PoneRana, Wokingham
19/07/2012 at 11:37

The previous Tesco was where Argos/Prezzo/Gig House are now. It was about half the size of the new one (maybe even less) and was under the multi storey car park that is still there. Folk would park up there, do their weekly shop in Tesco then venture out into the town. Although the new Tesco is only about 600m away from the old one, it is not IN the town centre and people will not park there and walk into town. They will park up, shop, and go straight home, bypassing the town centre, The Government Inspector who allowed the new Tesco should be brought back to Wokingham, paraded through the town centre, given the opportunity to explain himself, then put in the stocks for 48 hours to be replaced by those WBC councillors who repeated the same mistake and gave permission for the Lidl in Molly Millar's Lane!

LarryS
19/07/2012 at 10:38

Completely agree too that we would really benefit from more short term parking. Due to the retail offering / size of the town centre, alot of trade is and will probably still be quick purchases from one or two shops - whether it is popping in to pick up a takeaway, a Blockbusters hire, pick up of some flowers or a bottle of wine. These would really benefit from the kind of short term parking we have in Peach Street.

alex_f, Wokingham
19/07/2012 at 10:00

@LarryS - this is the exact reason why my view on the new supermarket isn't 100% opposed as it was before... I've chatted with a couple of local businesses who seem to have expressed their support for the supermarket for this reason. There was apparently a noticeable drop in trade following the move of Tesco.

It would be interesting to know more details about the previous Tesco. Where was it exactly, and did it have its own car park? Was it an all-in-one, or similar size to the one we now have?

alex_f, Wokingham
19/07/2012 at 09:50

I don't understand why folk are opposed to a new supermarket in the town centre but maybe they have not been around long enough to remember what a devastating effect Tesco moving away from the town centre had. That was the start of the recent decline of our town centre as the old Tesco brought people into the town and they would use other shops during their visit as well. Waitrose and M&S are self contained - people use their car parks, shop in their store, get back in their cars and then drive home. It's a shame Lidl got permission for their store in Molly Millar's Lane - that would have been an ideal 'magnet' store for a regenerated town centre.

Car park charges are also key to a successful town centre regeneration. I am sure that lots of people are put off by high car parking charges especially if they only want to pop into town for a couple of things, or for a takeaway or a DVD. There needs to be more 20p for half an hour or even free parking - that would bring more of us back into town.

LarryS
19/07/2012 at 09:30

as previously stated, and in agreement with many others, WBC have eroded many green spaces around the town centre. I have known Wokingham for 30yrs and lived here full time over the last 12, the centre has changed significantly over that time. I remember the outdoor pool and the old footy ground and now of course we can add cricket ground to that too. I am not againt change but the drawing above doesn't fill me with confidence, you could be anywhere with it's boring architecture, it doesn't look in keeping with the old style of the town? a great opportunity to make changes and remove all the ugly concrete eye sores around but will it create a better town centre, only time will tell.

hilary murdoch
19/07/2012 at 09:15

although i agree with some of the plans i think this will kill off the shops at the far end of peach street.car parking and the road system also need improving as on many saturdays it takes me more than 20 minutes to drive into wokingham in the queing traffic and then find somewhere to park.its easier to take the 9 minute train journey to reading and shop there.this is the reason people will not come into wokingham to shop.

right said fred
18/07/2012 at 19:41

Many thanks - that sounds a shame. It's very understandable how protective most residents are of the final bit of greenery in the town centre, given how much green space / recreational space has been gradually eroded over the past years for housing developments.

alex_f, Wokingham
18/07/2012 at 18:20

The old Wokingham FC was where the houses opposite the roundabout by Tesco now is. I think what makes Wokingham so charming is that it is described as "leafy" and "green". I think the Elm's Field area should be kept as green as possible, although I think Alex_F is right; it is a wasted space at the moment - just a council car park and not much else, perhaps the car park area could be better used, and the grassed area kept as is/for future events like the Jubilee councert (which was great!) The park over the road should stay as is. As for Peach Street - just a bit of tidying up should do it....we need the old tired 60s looking buildings to go. I don't see the need to change much else of the town centre - particularly the town hall/market area.

Tequila Mockingbird, Wokingham
18/07/2012 at 17:27

Peter Turner - ditto.

Alex_f - if you go from the Carnival pool towards Tesco, just the other side of the bridge was a football stadium (albeit a fairly small one - a few thousand seats I think). Everything from there to the pets@home, if I recall. that whole housing estate wasn't there (and this is in my Wokingham lifetime; I've lived here 20 years, and it went maybe 10-15 years ago.

Damiano_Tommassi, Wokingham
18/07/2012 at 17:24

I have absolutely NO faith in WBC ...

That is all ......

Peter Turner
18/07/2012 at 17:08

@Damiano_Tommassi - thanks :) Do you mean the old Cantley Park stadium, or was there one before that?

alex_f, Wokingham
18/07/2012 at 17:02

Easy now. 'come on lads', Alex has made plenty of well thought-out and fair points - and started by saying "I agree with Elms Field being kept as 'green as possible'"!

Juts to add to your list - Wokingham used to have a (quite nice) football club. What is it now? Houses.

Damiano_Tommassi, Wokingham
18/07/2012 at 16:23

@come on lads - please substantiate why you believe I have no idea what I am talking about? I have been quite clear in all my comments that as a recent resident to the area, I am not as up to speed as many are. I'm open to being corrected. Like I had no idea about the permanent indoor market until recently.

Please re-read my comment - where do I ever imply that I am against green spaces? I quite clearly state in my last comment that I am all for keeping as much green (or expanding) as possible. I stated 'My own preference would have been one large open space - like Stoke Park in Guildford' - google Stoke Park and you'll find it certainly isn't a concrete jungle.

PS - I don't have any vested interest in the regeneration. I'm just trying to be a bit optimistic about it. I've just moved here and really like the area, and have at least some excitement about what's going to happen. I know it's against the grain an all, but try not to be rude about it.