The Whitchurch village and Queen Charlton area is one of 15 areas in our Liveable Neighbourhoods (LN) programme. The villages are situated just off the A37 approximately 8.4 miles away from Bath.
About the programme
Liveable Neighbourhoods is a community-led programme that aims to improve residential streets and encourage safe, active and more sustainable forms of travel, such as walking, wheeling and cycling.
Typical improvements suggested by communities are:
- Better crossings, footways and cycle lanes to connect homes with shops, schools and community hubs
- Traffic-calming measures to tackle anti-social driving, speeding and inconsiderate parking
- Pleasant places for people to sit and meet others outside
Find out more about LNs and their benefits
Our approach
Our role is to support communities to develop their own LNs, engaging with them at every stage of development. We want to hear from a diverse range of people to ensure the final designs meet everyone’s needs.
Our approach to developing LNs
Development of this LN
- In Autumn 2020, we asked residents across the district how they felt about LNs, and 48 communities then applied to become a LN, via ward councillors.
- In June 2021, we prioritised 15 areas where development of LNs could start (this included an area which merged Whitchurch village and Queen Charlton).
- In December 2021, we asked for your feedback on what was good about the area, what transport-related issues you experience, and what improvements would make the most impact.
- In Spring/Summer 2022, we then held a series of co-design workshops where residents prioritised the measures they wanted to see included (see Co-design outcomes below).
- In November 2022, we launched the Queen Charlton Lane through-traffic restriction trial ahead of the wider programme (see below).
- During 2023, we shortlisted these proposals, taking costs and practicalities into consideration.
View our full project development timeline which includes links to the relevant reports.
Out of the 1,625 responses submitted as part of our public engagement in December 2021, 68 people commented on the Whitchurch Village and Queen Charlton area. Below is a summary of what people said:
What is good about the area?
- 46 said 'strong community spirit'
- 10 said 'safe and healthy environment'
- 5 said 'accessibility for walking, wheeling and cycling'
What issues are experienced?
- 66 said 'speeding traffic'
- 60 said 'through traffic'
- 21 said 'not enough space for wheeling, walking or cycling'
- 21 said 'HGV traffic'
- 18 said school run traffic'
- 8 said 'pavement parking'
What measures could improve the area?
- 65 said 'a restriction on through traffic or HGVs'
- 18 said 'new or wider footways'
- 16 said 'new or improved cycle lanes'
- 10 said 'new pedestrian crossings'
- 4 said 'trees and planting'
We held a workshop on 21 June 2022 with residents who expressed an interest in co-developing the Whitchurch Village and Queen Charlton LN.
Attendees took part in a series of exercises to identify what they liked about the area, what could be improved, and what specific measures could help, plotting these on a map of the area.
To see the maps and the longlist of ideas suggested by the community, please view the following report.
In August 2022, attendees were invited back to review the outcomes of the workshop and prioritise their ideas, focusing on the original application area. Go to ‘Recommendations for design' for more information.
Queen Charlton Lane through-traffic restriction trial
Due to the support expressed for through-traffic restrictions in several locations, we progressed three schemes ahead of the wider LN programme in 2022. This included a through-traffic restriction trial on Queen Charlton Lane for a minimum of six months (from November 2022). During this time, we monitored any traffic and air quality impacts and gathered the views of residents and the wider public.
Careful consideration was then given to all the evidence collected during the trial and, in January 2024, a decision was made by the Cabinet Member for Highways to make it permanent.
From 5 February 2024 we will start the formal Traffic Regulation Order process to legally adopt the scheme.
Learn more about the outcomes trial
A37 crossing scheme
A new signalised crossing on the A37 will connect the residential areas of Whitchurch village and Queen Charlton to the popular community facilities on the other side of the carriageway, including a children’s playground, allotments, rugby and cricket grounds. The scheme also proposes improvements to junctions, paths, footways and bus stops.
Recommendations for design
We have shortlisted the community’s priorities for the wider Whitchurch village and Queen Charlton area against a range of criteria, including costs and practicalities.
View the recommended shortlist, recommendation criteria and workshop prioritisation reports
Next steps
We are preparing a full business case (FBC) for the LN programme to establish funding priorities. This will be submitted to the West of England Combined Authority in spring 2024.
We will engage the public on the overall design once the FBC has been approved.
View the project development timeline
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Contact us
If you would like to talk to an advisor, get involved in the LN programme or be kept up to date on future events, email us at LNs@bathnes.gov.uk, or call 01225 39 40 25 (and request a call-back from a team member)
Please also let us know if you need this information in easy-read or an alternative format.