Shepton Mallet Town Council seeks design team for gateway into Collett Park

Collett Park, the first park in the Mendip area to be awarded a prestigious Green Flag award, is well placed to make a greater contribution to the town.

 

Shepton Mallet Town Council wish to appoint a team to reconfigure the park’s western gateway to improve the arrival experience and boost footfall.

 

As a small market town of just 10,000 people, a rising number of visitors in recent years brings hope that improvements to the park could boost this growth and aid in economic regeneration.

 

The design will be informed by active stakeholder and public engagement but opportunities for improvement have already been highlighted.

 

The existing café should be updated with the option for takeaways and seating both indoor and outdoor. This should be adaptable to allow for community meetings or workshops during quiet times.

 

Connectivity between the indoor and outdoor spaces should be carefully considered to renew the space and maximise site potential.

 

Toilets need to be included as a separate block that can be locked remotely. They should consider the changing needs of the community with changing facilities and accessibility.

 

Accessibility is also key to active travel on the site. Signage for the Park and Strawberry line need to be included as this will mark the beginning of the extension to the line as a cycle route and multi-user pathway. Areas should be well lit to allow for later usage of the park and safe movement around the area.

 

Among improvements, consideration of the history of this pivotal site must be at the forefront with re-siting of existing amenities to be established.

 

Further information is available via the design brief: sheptonmallet-tc.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Collett-Park-Gateway_2.pdf