Have your say on the Borough Council's exciting plans to improve Moor Street and Wheatsheaf Walks to help make Ormskirk look even more attractive for residents and visitors.

It's running an online consultation on the proposals until 27 August https://www.westlancs.gov.uk/ormskirkimprovements; there's also a consultation event at the former Timpson shop on Burscough Street, on 22 August between 12.30am and 4.30pm, where you can speak to Council officers about the schemes.

Works proposed for Moor Street would complement previous schemes carried out on this important gateway into the town. New paving and seating is planned for the Railway Road end of the street to match that installed on the rest of the pedestrianised area. Street furniture will also be re-configured to allow more room for stalls for the ever popular Ormskirk Market which takes place every Thursday and Saturday.

Proposals for Wheatsheaf Walks would make the complex's paved and seating space more welcoming and provide better access for disabled people. The existing paving will require significant maintenance or replacement over the coming years and whilst looking at this officers believed there was an opportunity to deliver further improvements to the space.

One suggestion for this scheme retains the pagoda structure while the other would see it removed and this may give a more open feel to the area, greater visibility to the shops and help make it a much more useable space. Paving would be laid to match that on Moor Street and make the area more attractive. New seating and lighting is also proposed to make the place comfortable for shoppers and visitors to take a break there.

Costs for both the Wheatsheaf Walks options are very similar regardless of whether the pagoda is retained or removed as the new paving accounts for a significant element of the proposed cost and this is the same for both proposals.

Site construction works on the schemes selected is expected to start early in 2020 subject to all necessary scheme design/approval and procurement details being satisfactorily completed in advance of this timeframe.

Councillor Ian Moran, Council Leader and portfolio holder for Economic Regeneration, said: "I would urge everyone to give their views on these two important schemes that will make a big difference to Ormskirk town centre and help make it more attractive to shoppers, visitors and residents.

"These projects show how West Lancashire Borough Council is ambitious for the Borough's economy. They will also help to meet the aims of the Ormskirk Town Centre Strategy the Council is delivering with partners in the Town Centre Management Group to ensure Ormskirk has an even brighter and more successful future."

should make it easier for more cars to drive though i guess !
meanwhile the road surface of burscough street gets worse it looks awful compared to the holy grail of moor street

Can’t count how many meetings about town centre improvements I’ve been too over the past ten year or just how much money has been wasted by this council on this project.

This is what! The fourth or fifth time we tax payers have been informed the Council have or would like to spend even more money on town centre improvement to both improve shopping experience for locals and visitors without any significant improvement to foot fall if any, or at best very limited improvement to businesses. This is not unique to Ormskirk!
Shopping habits have significantly changed and people no longer shop in town centres. Whist there is a need for some specialist business requirements, Councillors need to start to think out of the town centre box and and start to encourage conversion to town side living accommodation such as starter flats and homes, not more transient student accommodation and help save our valuable green belt.


I would point out I’m a long time town centre conservationist however it is now very clear the destruction of the Historic structor of the town centre has been damaged beyond repair, so reluctantly have reached this conclusion.

To conclude. Stop filling the town with none paying student accommodation and redeveloped for the use of tax paying families.

Once again Mr Reeves makes an article completely unrelated to students about students.

What a surprise.

Originally Posted by minorityvoice

Once again Mr Reeves makes an article completely unrelated to students about students. What a surprise.

So! Mr Minorityvoice who like to remain anonymous, I’m listening! Explain how filling the town with inappropriate, none tax paying student accommodation is going to enhance, enrich or attract more visitors to the town?. Student accommodation is Down to Edge Hill. Starter homes and green belt preservation is the responsibility of the Council who are not listening to residents but keep on advancing hair brained schemes nobody wants! How much more tax money is to be wasted on attempting to rejuvenate towns such as Ormskirk back into unwanted shops, empty shops and inappropriate building styles only suited too student accommodation add nothing nor will they attract any visitors. Time for change. We got what we voted for and boy did we get it wrong!

1) Sack the entire council. 2) Replace with members of Burscough parish council who actually KNOW how to make a place look nice.
Most of the damned budget will be spent on a public consultation. It would be better spent on a bus fare to Burscough for our esteemed council.