The Goole Town Deal Board has this week issued a progress update on the Public Realm project that aims to enhance the way public spaces in the town centre look and feel, and thanked those who took part in its recent consultation exercise.

At a meeting held on Friday (26 January), the Board considered feedback on the initial design concepts for the Public Realm project, which was received from members of the public who attended an exhibition held at the Market Hall in Goole in November, took part in an online consultation exercise or chose to leave their feedback at Goole Library. Based on the feedback received, Board members agreed that a number of further amendments and refinements to the design concepts were required. This approach is a normal part of any pre-construction process.

The Board recognises that some of the original design concepts led local people to believe that certain areas of the town centre could be pedestrianised. However, they confirmed at Friday’s meeting that their goal is simply to improve public safety and connectivity between pedestrian areas that are expected to see an increase in footfall. The use of shared spaces and enhanced crossing places is being considered in areas that are particularly busy with both vehicles and pedestrians.

Design concepts showing the use of outdoor rooms in the main shopping precinct on Boothferry Road will also be refined, with public safety and the need to reduce the potential for anti-social behaviour in mind. The Board’s partners and other key stakeholders, including the emergency services, are also being consulted about the designs to ensure that any proposals do not impede access for emergency vehicles or pose any additional policing concerns.

The Board agreed that making changes to Church Street and North Street should be a lower priority for now. However, in response to feedback from local people, architects have been asked to produce design options that address the existing narrow vehicle entrance to the new Goole Hub (formerly East Riding Leisure Goole) and the adjacent retail park to make it easier and safer for vehicles to enter and exit the site.

Speaking after the meeting, Councillor Anne Handley, Leader of East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said: “We all want to see positive improvements in our town centre that will support existing businesses and also attract investment from new business ventures. To help make this happen, we intend to enhance the look and feel of the town centre as part of our wider investment plans for the town.

“As part of our strategy, we’ll be adopting a multi-agency approach to community safety, as well as a zero tolerance approach to anti-social behaviour and criminal damage. This means working closely with a range of key partners and stakeholders, including Humberside Police and the CCTV operators. We’ll also be putting in place appropriate maintenance agreements for managing public spaces, planters and street furniture.

“We’re keen to ensure that our proposals for the town centre reflect the incredibly useful feedback that we’ve received, so the next step is for the architects to come back to the Board with further refinements of the priorities that we’ve shared with them, based on the public’s feedback and views.”

Phil Jones, Chair of the Goole Town Deal Board, said: “We’re very grateful to everyone who took the time to offer their feedback as part of our various consultation activities on the Public Realm project, and we’ve also been closely monitoring discussion around this topic on local social media platforms. All of the information that we’ve gathered is being used to shape the final set of proposals as we strive to ensure that all of this work can be completed by March 2026, ready for Goole’s bicentenary celebrations!”

Public Realm is one of the eight strategic projects allocated a share of Goole’s £25 million in Town Deal funding from the Government. The £3.1 million project will refresh the town centre with new hard and soft landscaping and seating, as well as making signage and the type of materials used more consistent. It aims to provide public spaces to be enjoyed, promote walking and cycling, and improve connectivity between key buildings and locations.

The Public Realm project is closely linked to the £2.4 million Station Hub project, which aims to support Goole’s growth and an anticipated increase in the number of station users by enhancing the arrival/departure experience and providing a more appealing environment at the station.

For more information about the eight projects allocated a share of the Goole Town Deal funding, visit www.gooletowndeal.co.uk.

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