Council’s “Plan for Shotton” aims to maximise town’s “assets and opportunities” and address community concerns

Senior councillors in Flintshire will be asked to approve an ambitious “high level” 10 year plan for Shotton that will aim to maximise the town’s assets and opportunities.

Called “A Plan for Shotton” it will set the strategic direction for work and future development in the town from now until 2030.

The plan encompasses the three wards of Shotton – East, Higher and West – which cover the high street and surrounding areas.

Over recent years the Flintshire Council has received a growing number of complaints about anti-social behaviour and environmental issues within the Shotton area.

“Left unchecked these issues have the potential to blight the area and undermine local efforts to keep the town clean and tidy and a place where people want to live, work and visit.” The council has said.

Under a strapline, “Shotton 2030: The place to work, live and visit with a thriving high street, clean neighbourhoods and safe and visually appealing public spaces” the plan will focus on the regeneration of the high street to “create and maintain a thriving town centre.”

A Steering Group made up of representatives of the Flintshire council, local councillors and North Wales Police has been formed to oversee the development and delivery of ‘A Plan for Shotton’.

It has been supported by a number of working groups, led by council officers and partner organisations, focusing on four key areas; Community; Resilience; Environment; Infrastructure and Investment;  Prevention, Education and Enforcement.

Over the next few months, the proposal is to plan for a wider consultation which will include the local community, “so that they can help shape the plans that will deliver the four overarching objectives for Shotton.” The council has said.

According to a report to be presented to the council’s cabinet committee next week, some of the short term goals of the plan include:

-A review of parking provisions, signage and enforcement.

-The repurposing of the Town Centre with works to shops and premises frontage.

-Road network improvements including bus lane improvements.

-Enforcement action, such as to bring vacant premises and sites back into sustained usage.

-Travel and transport improvements, such as reviewing cycle and walking paths between the coastal path and Town Centre, bus lane improvement and high street pedestrian and cycling schemes.

-Deployable CCTV Strategy to target local hotspot areas, as informed by intelligence.

-High visibility prevention patrols by North Wales Police, with targeted engagement and enforcement activity as informed by intelligence.

Medium and longer-term projects are “anticipated to grow and evolve, as informed by further consultation and engagement with key partners, stakeholders and the community.” The report states.

Flintshire’s cabinet member for economic development, Councillor Derek Butler, said:

“The ambition is for Shotton to be a place people want to work, live and visit, where local residents have a sense of pride in the area where they live.”

“This ambitious Plan has four overarching objectives which focus on: community resilience; the environment; prevention, education and enforcement; and infrastructure and investment.”

“And there have already been some early successes, such as the funding secured to develop a local building, bringing it back into use as a healthy fast food shop, and the opening of a Covid-19 Hub, which is providing valuable support for local residents.”

The council says that consultation and engagement activity “will commence in 2022 and will be through a variety of platforms, both on and offline, with the aim of reaching as many interested parties as possible.”

Cabinet members will be asked to approve the plan when they meet on Tuesday 16 November.