Business leaders have been urged to hang in and keep faith as major investment to breath new life into Wellington with the help of a share of a £23 million cash pot comes to fruition.
Business leaders have been urged to hang in and keep faith as major investment to breath new life into Wellington with the help of a share of a £23 million cash pot comes to fruition.
Telford & Wrekin Council leader, Andrew Eade, said the authority’s vision for the borough’s largest market town was not a short-term fix but would take time to bring about.
He was speaking at Wellington Chamber of Commerce’s meeting attended by representatives from nearly 30 businesses .
Outlining the council’s plans for investment, Mr Eade said: “I want to see Wellington return to the best possible condition we can get.
“We have a town here that has kept the faith in many ways.
“We have a market company, which gives this town a lot to offer. There is a lot going for Wellington.”
He told the chamber’s annual meeting at the Red Lion: “We can’t do it all in one go.
“We can’t do it in isolation.
“We are desperate to work with organisations such as yourselves. You are streets ahead of other people in the borough.”
Mr Eade said a three-year plan for the town would involve an investment of between £7 million and £8 million.
And he pledged they would not be bringing parking charges into the town, adding: “If they want to increase parking charges in Telford Town Centre let them do it, it makes Wellington more attractive.”
Mr Eade said it was important they finished schemes such as repaving projects in the town, which had made a tremendous difference.
He stressed the importance of transport links, including from the bus station, which is to be moved, to the train station.
Mr Eade it was important Wellington benefited from an influx of people created through the sports village.
He was also keen to see the best use made of the town’s car parks, which were busy during the day but virtually empty at night.
Mr Eade added: “I for one am looking forward to the future.
“The next three years is just a start.
“After that we need to continue and address some of the issues we have raised here and perhaps at the end of a 10-year period we have a town that we don’t recognise from where we started.”
