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Residents, businesses, and visitors are being invited to participate in an open and informative session to view ideas for the future of Falkirk town centre.

Taking place on Thursday, 22 June, in Trinity Church, Falkirk, the event will showcase the ways in which architects believe the town centre could best change and develop over the coming 20 years.

The vision that will be on display is based on interviews and consultation undertaken over the past six months by Threesixty Architecture on behalf of Falkirk Council.

People are invited to come along to the event between 11am and 6pm to see the concepts and provide their feedback. This will assist with the final draft of the Development Framework Masterplan for the town centre, which will go before Councillors later this year.

The vision within the masterplan will include an exciting mix of retail, leisure, housing and public space that aims to create a balanced, sustainable and vibrant town centre that caters to the evolving needs of the community.

By involving multiple stakeholders, the Council aims to identify areas where investment will have the greatest impact and assess the suitability of future development proposals.

Project staff will be available throughout the day to talk through the concepts and find out if they meet with people's aspirations for the town.

Cecil Meiklejohn, Leader of Falkirk Council, said:

"We need a masterplan for Falkirk Town Centre that shows how we can all work together to create a vibrant, successful, and attractive community for the coming decades. This exercise serves as a statement of intent, demonstrating our ambition for the town centre to the community and potential investors. It will foster a shared sense of purpose and help attract funding and investment required to revitalise Falkirk Town Centre and seize opportunities for growth."

Following the recent approval to build a replacement town hall on the Callendar Square site, Cllr Meiklejohn stressed this was the ideal moment in time for local people to get involved and help plan for the town centre's future.

She said:

“The town hall project holds immense potential to rejuvenate the town centre, enhance civic infrastructure, and provide a central hub for various community activities and services. It will bring about transformational change and be a catalyst for economic growth. We must be ready to capitalise on the opportunities it brings.

 

“To help us do that, we need to ensure the development framework is as ambitious as possible and reflects the needs of local people and businesses. What this drop-in session will allow us to do is present a shared vision to the community, shaped by extensive engagement, that will ensure a prosperous and vibrant future for Falkirk town centre.”

As well as looking at potential ways to rejuvenate the town centre, the development framework also takes a holistic view to Falkirk’s overall development, considering its connections with other important areas such as the Central Retail Park, Forth and Clyde Canal, and prominent tourist attractions.

For more information about the event, please contact Jacquie.mcarthur@falkirk.gov.uk.