From 'soulless space' to 'more attractive and usable': Plans lodged for square revamp

Proposals to revamp a town square have been submitted with a formal public consultation underway.

The plans for Marske Square, on the corner of The Wynd and the High Street in Marske, envisage adding more seating and a resurfacing of the area with new paving, along with associated landscaping works.

Beyond Housing, which owns the site, commissioned Ground Work North East and Cumbria - an environmental charity with a mission to create better places for local communities - to develop a scheme. Planning documents have now been submitted to Redcar and Cleveland Council.

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A design and assessment statement referenced an appraisal of the conservation area in Marske which described the square as a “soulless open space”.

It said: “The design aims to create a more attractive and usable space to improve the character of the built environment and enhance the visitor experience for town centre users. The re-design will open up the square, creating a large central multi-functional space by removing a section of existing raised grass and thereby ensuring continuity of provision for events and markets.”

Additional seating will be in the form of curved oak timber benches situated around a circle area with existing benches relocated to face into the square. The statement said existing kerb edging was a “trip hazard” for pedestrians and would be replaced by a shallow-dished channel, while a section of wall-edged grass is to be removed to improve access across the square.

Trees and shrubs will be added to the edge of the newly paved area to “add greenery and soften the hard landscape”. Planters, benches and bollards are intended to provide a safe vehicle-free space, although the bollards will be removable allowing occasional vehicle access for specific events.

A drop-in event at a local community centre was held earlier this year to advertise the plans with an online survey also attracting 500 responses.

A spokesman for Beyond said: “We are undertaking improvement works to Marske Square for the benefit of the local community, improving access and replacing damaged and dated paving and fixtures. We have consulted extensively on the plans [and] anyone wishing to comment further can do so using the council’s planning portal comment facility.”

The plans have been supported by councillors Kendra Evans and Karen King, who represent the St Germain’s ward in Marske.

Cllr Evans told the Local Democracy Reporting Service she had been involved in trying to make the square safer and had been in contact with Beyond for more than a year. She said the square was well used and a place for the community to gather and positive, sympathetic alterations “made sense”.

Cllr Evans said there had been issues with car parking and the “lip” around the current paved section caused problems for wheelchair users with “numerous people” having tripped and fallen over the years.

She added: “The paving needs sorting regardless, so it makes sense to update things whilst they're making the changes. It's good to see more seating planned and the central area will be able to accommodate additional stalls for the regular artisan market, and will allow for extra space for our annual Christmas event.

“It's quite exciting really.”

Meanwhile, another ward councillor Dr Tristan Learoyd encouraged residents to have their say on the scheme. Posting on Facebook, Cllr Learoyd said he also welcomed getting rid of the trip hazard kerb.

Comments from Marske residents on the council’s planning portal were mixed. Lesley Hemmingway said: “The square is absolutely fine as it is now, just need to renew all the paved areas and make it all one level.”

Another comment agreed the current paving required attention, but the layout of the square should be left alone.

But Adele Costello said: “I think it looks good.” She said it would be a missed opportunity not to make the planned improvements.

The public consultation ends on December 13.

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