Cirencester Neighbourhood Plan

Feria Urbanism was appointed by Cirencester Town Council to provide support for its neighbourhood plan project. The plan will guide the development of the town over the next decade or more as it seeks to positively address a range of built environment issues, including heritage protection, public realm, employment and training.

Our work has involved providing the client group with a better understanding of what a neighbourhood plan can and cannot do in terms of regulating the built environment and the statutory processes that need to be adhered to. We have also provided skills support as the client began to assemble its steering group, as well as providing mapping assistance as they undertook a strategic place audit. Due to the restrictions on movement and social gatherings imposed during the Covid-19 public health crisis, much of this early phase of work at the start of 2021 was successfully shifted to online platforms and video calls.

Using outputs produced by the steering group, we successfully shaped a Pre-Submission (Reg 14) Draft Plan that was subject to formal consultation in early 2024. Public responses received indicated widespread support for the proposed planning policies in contained. Following revisions, the plan is expected to be submitted in early 2025.

A critical role for Feria Urbanism was to provide a link between Cotswold District Council’s town centre strategy for Cirencester and the relevant town centre chapter of the neighbourhood plan. We ensured coordination and avoided duplication.

Public Realm Design Exercise

We also involved 16-18 year old students at Cirencester College in the plan making process, to ensure their voices were heard. As part of this, we organised and ran hands-on, outdoor public realm design tasks in Cricklade Street (using our unique set of foam building blocks) and produced bespoke workshop tasks for young people.