 As a result of unexpected drainage work carried out as part of the improvement works in Southampton Road, the planters proposed in the original scheme were excluded from the contract in order to make savings.
Thankfully, Ringwood Town Council, working in partnership with Ringwood Society, facilitated a successful bid for a grant from Hampshire County Council to provide two planters.
This brought the scheme in line with what was originally proposed and further improved the appearance of the area.
Ringwood Society Chairman, Jeff Wickens, said
“Although the enhancement was controversial, the Society fully supported it and believes that the new layout and planters can only improve the appeal and hopefully the prosperity of the town.
We are delighted that Hampshire County Council was able to support us in providing the planters and we look forward to the newly paved area being used for future community events.”
In response to concerns raised by residents and local businesses about inappropriate parking in the newly created shared space, County Councillor Steve Rippon-Swaine decided to allocate funds from his devolved budget to address this.
With the aid of his funding, a further planter and a new bench have now been installed, adding to the appeal and attractiveness of the area.
Cllr Rippon-Swaine said:
“I am delighted to have been able to contribute towards completing the enhancement scheme and improving the appearance of this part of Southampton Road.
Parking is prohibited in this area, but sadly some drivers were ignoring the restriction and parking across the footway, particularly in the evenings and at weekends.
This was hindering pedestrians and cyclists and making the area unsafe. I hope the new bench and planter will put a stop to this behaviour and make it a more pleasant environment for everyone.”
|
