Plans to improve Holbeach town centre

Creating a new town square and limiting traffic on Park Road are part of new plans to revitalise Holbeach town centre.

South Holland District Council is set to bid for £4m of government cash as part of the Future High Street Fund.

Among the plans are to create a new ‘public realm’ to the rear of the recently refurbished The Chequers and Park Road, the idea of which is to encourage a cafe culture in the town and provide a pedestrian link to Tesco.

‘Chequers Yard’ would include space to hold markets and events, new retail space particularly for food and drink businesses, a new public toilet facility as well as “up to 28 apartments”.

The measures will include making Park Road ‘access only’ for vehicles in a move the council hopes will lead to less traffic queuing around the Market Hill Junction.

There would be no access to Park Road from Market Hill, limited access from Park Road on to Market Hill and no right turn for traffic travelling from Church Street and Boston Road.

It’s also hoped the project will deliver cycle lanes, initially on High Street and Fleet Road but with an ambition to improve the cycle network across the town.

The moves are all a continuation of the Holbeach Transport Strategy published last year.

SHDC hopes the measures will:
* Create a new hub in the town centre that is attractive, vibrant and at the heart of the community;
* A safer, less traffic-dominated and more pedestrian friendly town centre;
* A town centre that caters for a growing population
* A high street that is less reliant on retailing with a better balance of housing and leisure uses;
* More people using the town centre for socialising throughout the day
* In Chequers Yard, provide a Covid-appropriate environment for commerce
* Fewer people driving short distances around Holbeach

Coun Nick Worth said: “I’m every excited about this.

“It’s something we’ve been working on since 2008 to get to this stage.

“We’ve been looking at a host of options to help improve the town centre and Market Hill junction and broaden the appeal of what it has to offer.

“The change for Holbeach will be really exciting and, I think, quite innovative.

“It’s part of a larger scheme which includes Peppermint Junction and the Food Enterprise Zone to provide real opportunities for businesses here and great opportunities for young people.”