A prosperous community with strong links to a growing economy
We have heard that the three local centres in Buckskin, Burnaby and South Ham are not fully meeting the needs of the different neighbourhoods. While some shops offer a lifeline in terms of services or essential/day to day shopping, there are not enough people locally to sustain a broader range of shops or services such as cafes or workspaces. People were very sad to see the Butchers in South Ham close.
We are exploring ideas for how to create vibrant local centres that serve daily needs and support future generations, with spaces for gathering, shopping, and accessing essential services — centres that feel alive and connected to the needs of everyone who calls this community home. Our research suggested that having a single larger centre, supplemented by smaller local shops, might be more sustainable in the longer term. This is one idea.
We have also heard that people find it difficult to get to places of work without access to a car. Some people find it difficult to know where to get information on training and work, and it can feel daunting. There are no spaces locally that provide a space for people who want to start a business . Public transport should play an important role in how you move out of the area for work, services or leisure.
We want to explore ideas to enable people to travel to places more easily without a car by walking or cycling, as well as how local centres could offer more local employment opportunities. Currently 65% of journeys to work are under 5km and 61% of all journeys are taken by car.
You’ve told us about local shops and amenities...
