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Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge Regeneration
The
Key Urban Design Objectives are::
 
To create more attractive, varied and comfortable streets and spaces;
To clarify vehicle
and pedestrian movement and hierarchy, to reduce areas of conflict
between pedestrians and vehicles;
To create an urban
core where the dominance of vehicular movement is reduced;
To create better pedestrian
linkages across the town, and provide for pedestrians and cyclists;
To improve the quality
of existing streets and public places through a combination of new
surface treatments and better frontages, setting standards of design
and quality to bring unity to
the streets and spaces within the town;
To create new public
spaces within the town, including a new space or place to become
the civic heart;
To
remove expanses of concrete and create a new linear park along the
seafront;
To strengthen links
to Highbridge and beyond;
To encourage redevelopment
of key sites to improve the
quality of the built environment and to generate economic
benefits – new businesses, new jobs and new homes;
To build on local
urban and natural character;
To create a new and
consistent approach to quality;
To create a more attractive
and interesting place to visit;
To create a stronger
and more memorable image of Burnham. |
Pedestrian
and Vehicle Movement in Burnham:
An urban design
analysis was carried out by the Market and Coastal Towns Initiative
to inform the design of the masterplan. The following images illustrate
the main issues:
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 VEHICLE
MOVEMENT
Whilst there is a need to improve parking and allow for traffic
movement, cars tend to dominate the town centre.
Wide road
widths and a lack of clarity about where to park creates an environment
dominated by the car.
There are
a number of junctions where conflict arises between vehicles and
pedestrians.
In some areas parking detracts from the quality of streets and
spaces including the High Street and
the Esplanade near Somerfields.
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 PEDESTRIAN
MOVEMENT
Pedestrian movement is mainly in a north-south direction along
the Esplanade, Victoria Street & High Street, or east-west
along the linking streets.
Due to the
flood defence scheme access to the beach is limited to a small
number of locations.
At low tide
the beach becomes an important space for pedestrian movement.
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