Taking the Biss out of obscurity

2.24.00am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 27th Jun 2008

Biss Meadows in Winter

July's WWDC 'cabinet' has agreed a plan for the improvement of the river corridor through Trowbridge.

West Wiltshire Council has been working with the South West of England Regional Development Agency (SWRDA) to produce a strategy for revitalising the area.

Using funding of £148,000 from SWRDA, a plan has been put together by consultants Halcrow.

The plan aims to:

- Support the regeneration of Trowbridge by improving the townscape

- Promote good design

- Increase access to public spaces around the Biss that link to the town centre

- Encourage better use of public spaces

- Create and reinforce local distinctiveness linked to Trowbridge's heritage

- Promote accessibility by connecting places within the town centre

- Reduce crime and anti-social behaviour through quality of public space design

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A planning document has now been produced which will give guidance to developers of sites beside the Biss. Known technically as the 'River Biss Public Realm Implementation and Design Guide' it covers the stretch from Biss Meadows to Bradford Road.

The document now goes out to consultation for eight weeks. (July / August). Then a final draft will be prepared for approval in November unless there are any major objections.