Telford and Wrekin ahead of the game

The government has called for authorities to de-clutter our streets. We're already ahead of the game and our Rapid Response team has cleaned, removed or mended 5,000 signs this year.

A government campaign to urge local authorities to remove unnecessary street furniture and signs has been pre-empted in Telford and Wrekin – with the council already ahead of the game thanks to its Borough Towns Initiative.

A report to the council’s cabinet, which meets on Tuesday (SEPT 28), outlines that work under the Borough Towns Initiative programme in areas such as Dawley, Madeley, Wellington, Newport and Ironbridge has led to better public spaces and improved the character of local centres.

Other developments such as Lawley and the Ketley Millennium Community have also been designed using modern urban design techniques to encourage a more appealing environment in new residential communities

Design guide documents are also being developed to encourage higher quality levels of design in the Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage Site and Newport Conservation Area.

Councillor Adrian Lawrence, cabinet member for Environment, said: “Nationally a lot of work is being done to provide local authorities much more flexibility in how public realm is designed and managed.

“The work that the council has been doing means that many of the principles set out in a recent letter from the Secretary of State of Communities and Local Government, encouraging authorities to “de-clutter” their streets are already being applied in Telford and Wrekin.”