Fears high street scheme 'will ruin' town

Yarm's High Street will undergo works for nine months as part of the council scheme

Works to revamp a market town's high street have been met with mixed reviews, with one resident labelling them "hideous".

Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council's scheme aims to transform six areas of Yarm's High Street over a nine-month period.

Funded by £20m of government levelling up money secured in 2021, it will include separate pedestrian areas, greenery, improved footpaths along the River Tees, bike parking and a play trail for children.

The authority said it would improve the look and feel of the high street and its accessibility to public transport, but one resident has claimed "most people don't want it".

Carole Jones, 70, questioned why there was a need to change the high street at one of the first of several council drop-in sessions about the scheme at Yarm Library.

She said: "I don't think it's going to enhance it in any way. It's not going to help our problems.

"Most of the people I've spoken to don't want it. We need toilets in Yarm, we need to keep the parking spaces."

Carole Jones said she wanted to question councillors about why the change to the high street was needed

She said the plans needed more consultation and told council officers at the drop-in new planters, paving and seating would be somewhere for people "to wee in and throw cans in when the pubs close".

"I'm just very upset and very sad that you've ruined Yarm," she added.

But fellow resident Margaret Robinson, 85, says she thinks the proposals will be "quite a big improvement".

"I haven't got a car so it's not going to affect me very much," she said.

"There's going to be a loss of a few car parking spaces."

Nine out of 324 parking spaces are to be removed to make way for the revamp.

"By the way they're phasing it, it seems as if it's not going to be too disruptive," she added.

Margaret Robinson believes the proposals will be a big improvement for the high street

The first phase will be concentrated on the Yarm Bridge end of the street and will begin on 20 October for six weeks.

A plinth, seating and planters would be moved "to improve the setting of the historic 'welcome' sign", with new trees and shrubbery, the council said.

Other areas would then follow, including the Silver Street crossing, Yarm Town Hall crossing point, central area, and the Yarm School end, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

It said works for the scheme, which are due to last nine months, will avoid key public dates like Christmas and Remembrance Day, with access to businesses and properties "maintained at all times".

The scheme reflected findings of two public consultations in 2022, the local authority said, which showed a desire to improve footpaths, reduce street clutter, provide more planting and seating spaces and improve connections to the river.

The council said planters and widening walkways would improve the overall look of the high street

Resident Julie Dove, 63, said the council could have used the funding to "renovate and restore what's already there."

She said: "I think it's completely out of character.

"You're imposing Teesside Park-type modern structures on top of a Georgian market town. They're hideous."

Jayne Ford, 66, said she was still in favour of the initial consultation, adding: "It needs to be developed.

"The whole high street is a car park. Anything that removes the cars and makes it visually more attractive has to be of benefit."

Works are set to begin on 20 October

Councillor Richard Eglington, cabinet member for regeneration and housing, said: "Yarm is a popular town and these improvements will help to enhance the attractiveness and accessibility of the high street and create a pleasant environment for people to sit, enjoy and spend more time in the area.

"I want to assure residents and businesses that we will be reaching out to them to explain how each phase of work will progress.

"We want to keep them informed every step of the way."