Ards Borough Council
News Release
12 March 2007
Plans Shape Up For Comber Square Plans are shaping up for Comber Square after the town’s Regeneration Group appointed a firm of architects to help revitalise the town’s central public space – and local people can get involved when the proposals are displayed and discussed at a public meeting later this month.
Comber Regeneration Limited, in partnership with Ards Borough Council, has appointed Scott Wilson, Landscape Architects and Town Planners, to undertake a study on how best to manage traffic and pedestrian access to the Square, as well as to provide designs for a major re-landscaping of the area.
The project is part of an overall town strategy for Comber which aims to optimise the potential of the historic market town, as Johnny Andrews, Chair of Comber Regeneration Ltd, highlighted:
“Comber has great potential and is a wonderful town in a great location, at the gateway of Strangford Lough and with many visitors passing through on their way to attractions like Castle Espie - we need to ensure they have a reason to stop and enjoy it. There are many opportunities to create a vibrant town based on specialist retailing, tourism and capitalising on our heritage and history; Gillespie, Titanic, Linen, Comber stones from the old Abbey and of course the potato,” he said. “There are, however, a number of issues within the town that need to be addressed, including traffic management and calming measures. We want to show best practice improvements for the hub of the town, our Square, which is the jewel in our crown. If rejuvenated as the centre of our vibrant community, it will create a visible, compelling statement for the market town, with local people, visitors and traders benefiting from greater enjoyment, revenue and an attractive, historic centre.”
David Birch, Ards Borough Council’s Regeneration Officer, added:
“We plan to provide a series of environmental improvements to the town, and to raise awareness of what Comber has to offer for both visitors and residents through a sustained marketing and publicity campaign. With shared surfaces and an events area we hope to bring back a community focus for the town. In order to make a success of this it is imperative that we have the support of both the traders and the residents within Comber. We hope to encourage local people to get involved - regeneration will play a significant role in the future of Comber”
A public meeting for the presentation of the plans on the Square to traders and residents is currently being planned for 29 March 2007 at 7.30pm in Comber Leisure Centre. This will be followed by a presentation by Additude Consultancy on the proposed new marketing and branding for Comber Town.
The Comber Town Strategy is available at Comber Library or online at www.ards-council.gov.uk in the Development Department section. For further information on the regeneration plans for Comber and the public meeting please contact David Birch on 028 91824026.
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