Have your say on East Herts Council’s plans for a public square in Bishop’s Stortford

East Herts Council is set to spend £1.5m on a new public square for Bishop’s Stortford.

The plaza and performance space are part of the authority’s Old River Lane project in partnership with developer Cityheart.

The company pulled its proposals for the site last year. While it reformulates its planning application for the former Causeway car park, the council has begun public consultation on its vision for a public square on what was the Charringtons House car park.

East Herts wants to create “a high-quality public space” that can be used for events and activities such as markets, outdoor cinema and performances by local and touring groups.

The council says there is potential for a pavilion to sit on the public square, built from materials reclaimed from the demolition of Charringtons House.

The previous Conservative administration wanted to build a £15.5m arts centre on the land. However, the Green Party and Liberal Democrats paused that project after taking control of the council in May 2023. Council leader Cllr Ben Crystall believes it will be more than a decade before the arts centre can be considered again.

The wider scheme – which no longer includes demolition of the United Reformed Church Hall in Water Lane after the development boundary was redrawn – will bring new homes, shops and jobs to the town centre.

Bishop’s Stortford Liberal Democrat Cllr Mione Goldspink, EHC’s deputy leader and executive member for neighbourhoods, said: “The council has been thinking very hard about the plans for the development of the Old River Lane site.

“Ever since the council discovered that the funds for building a theatre on the site were insufficient, it has been considering other possibilities for the use of the ‘theatre space’.

“As a council, we now wish to share our ideas with all residents and to ask for comments and suggestions.

“As the opening of BEAM [theatre] in Hertford and the regeneration of Castle Park in Bishop’s Stortford – the latter being partly funded by East Herts Council – both demonstrate, we are committed to enhancing our district.

“I do hope that this new public square will be a further community asset and one which will bring pleasure and benefit to the people of Bishop’s Stortford and to the wider area.”

To comment, see https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/ORLPublicSpace/.

To see planning applications and other public notices for your area, visit publicnoticeportal.uk.