08 August 2008

Ambitious Burscough regeneration project short-listed for award

Burscough town centre regeneration project has been short-listed for a prestigious award.

The ambitious £11.5m initiative to revitalise the town centre has a chance of winning the North West Royal Town Planning Institute Planning Achievement Award 2008.

West Lancashire District Council entered the premier awards, which recognise the diversity of planning achievement. They look beyond purely physical outcomes to recognise innovative plans, processes, techniques, information systems, programmes of community involvement and improvements to public services.

The District Council decided to enter the awards because of the quality of the design of the public realm works and because the project has injected life into Burscough and has strengthened the local economy by implementing a series of environmental and visual improvements to the town centre. It has given Burscough back its sense of identity, making residents proud of their town and creating a place where people want to shop and spend their leisure time.

On top of the visual enhancements, there has also been the creation of 135 jobs.

Cllr Adrian Owens, Portfolio Holder for Regeneration and Estates, said: “There are many unique and intricate details within this fantastic regeneration project that photographs cannot do justice. For example, inscriptions on the clock tower, bespoke paving schemes, lights in the trees, various works of public art to emphasis Burscough’s distinct history and traditions, the illumination of the Grade II listed St John the Baptist Church, improved access, a new public square for the town, better landscaping, new street furniture and other restoration works. Community involvement was an important aspect, which is evident in the end results. This project really does deserve to be acknowledged and so to be short listed for such a prestigious award shows that we have achieved success.”

The regeneration scheme, which has been part funded by the NWDA, via the West Lancashire Strategic Partnership’s Investing in Business Regeneration Programme, will be visited by the judges on Monday, August 11th.

Head of Development at the NWDA, Paul Lakin, said:  “To be short-listed for such a prestigious award is excellent news and I am sure that the judges will agree that Burscough can boast an impressive town centre which residents should be proud of.
“A high quality town centre helps to drive forward economic regeneration, by retaining and attracting more visitors to the town, creating jobs and by improving private sector confidence.
“The NWDA has been delighted to support this project and I would like to wish Burscough the very best of luck.”

For more information about the Burscough town centre redevelopment, visit the council’s website www.westlancsdc.gov.uk/regeneration.

If you would like any more details about this press release or would like to arrange an interview, please contact Nicky Speed in the PR Unit on 01695 585 011.