Shepshed Market Place Regeneration Scheme

Following successful delivery of the Bedford Square Public Realm Improvement Scheme in Loughborough Town Centre, Fitzgerald were appointed by Charnwood Borough Council (CBC) in July 2023 to deliver public realm improvements to Market Place in Shepshed.

Our scope of works has included carriageway widening, installation of new car parking bays and cycle parking facilities, drainage, footway and kerbing works, resurfacing and landscaping.

Key features of the scheme have included:

Effective ECI: As part of Early Contractor Involvement (ECI), we undertook a collaborative and critical review of the design with CBC and the scheme designer, WSP, and carried out a radar survey, drainage investigations and extensive trial holes on site. This ensured the scheme design correctly considered all existing services and improved the ‘buildability’ of the scheme, providing construction and programme benefits. This collaborative approach proved invaluable as works progressed to site.

Proactive and inclusive approach to communicating with stakeholders:  During ECI, we also worked with CBC to develop a Project Communications Plan which prioritised extensive in-person engagement with residents, businesses and other stakeholders before construction started. Sharing key construction information, such as Phasing Plans, whilst explaining how we planned to minimise, control and manage impacts set the tone for the proactive communication strategy that underpinned scheme delivery.

Improving access arrangements: The 8-month scheme has seen the creation of a larger pedestrianised area in front of the shops on the corner of Brook Street and Church Street, enabling a much-improved environment for visitors and better access to shop premises. Pavements have been improved and widened in Market Place and along Brook Street allowing the pedestrianised area to be a suitable place to host small-scale events and market stalls. As part of this, we were praised for our disability access arrangements during the works and as part of the final scheme:

“There is so much of an improvement here, which has been much needed for some time. To make the area disability friendly is amazing and will make things much easier for disabled customers, carers, and shops.” Fiona Rudbach, New Era Tourism & Events Official.

The £1.6m scheme has made Market Place a more attractive place for visitors and residents by creating an open and more pedestrian-friendly space while increasing parking in the area for shoppers at Church Street, Market Place and Cheapside. The scheme is part of long-standing plans in the Shepshed Town Centre Masterplan to regenerate and make improvements to Market Place, the Bull Ring, Hall Croft, and Field Steer, making Shepshed more attractive for residents and to help boost trade for local shops and businesses and provide an improved gateway. Even before completion, the improvements attracted fresh investment and new businesses to the area, something that has continued since work finished on site in February. The project was completed on time and to client satisfaction, continuing the growth of our collaborative and successful relationship with CBC