Biggleswade can be promoted with welcoming, high quality ‘gateway’ design. This type of feature says a lot about the vitality and sense of pride in a community.

Northern Gateway: Little sense of arrival. The new signage has little impact.

Northern Gateway: Potentially attractive views over the ‘back meadows’ obscured by billboards.

Southern access: Signs, barriers lack of memorable features. Opportunities exist for landmark features and new structure planting …

A1 gateways: The roundabouts at northern and southern entrances to the town could provide landmarks: This is where you are on the A1! This is Biggleswade!

Railway Station: Possibly the least attractive entrance to the town. New high quality waiting areas, equitable access, removal of ‘industrial’ fencing and new planting on embankments suggested …

Roundabouts provide excellent ‘gateway’ opportunities. This is our town and we are proud of it! This roundabout at the Dunton Lane gateway could be enhanced with planting, sculpture …

Distinctive signage and entry statements – such as this sculpture at the village of Saracens Head, can begin to make a distinctive sense of place.

Another distinctive village sign. Signage can begin to tell a story about the location.

Biggleswade can develop a distinctive character and sense of place with imaginative urban design projects. Good schemes may attract a range of funding support.

The genius is in the detail. The design of the Market Square in St Neots allows easy access and creates a simple, robust market venue as well as a temporary parking area in the week.

Distinctive, robust, furniture in St Neots tells visitors about the historic origins of the town. Note the seat has a plaque – denoting a local resident’s contribution to the scheme.

This memorial to the late, great Dan Albone is a sadly unimaginative homage for a famous inventor!

An excellent mosaic, representing all the birds of the Ivel Valley, is misplaced at the back of Sainsbury’s supermarket. This should be in a prominent part of the town centre!

An attractive paving mural in the Market Square at St Neots represents the Saint in person!

Regeneration in the the centre of Fakenham, Norfolk, was recently commended by the Civic Trust.

A central feature in Fakenham is a sculptural floor feature representing printing technology through the ages – the town being famous for printing in the past. Note it has been funded by the National Lottery through the Arts Council.

The ‘Blue Carpet’ in Newcastle, a controversial ‘sculptural’ public square cost £1.5 million, but was largely funded by an Arts Council grant.

Access planning projects in Biggleswade could create opportunities to make a more attractive town for residents and visitors – with a range of environmental and economic benefits.

Good quality bus shelters are required to support a good bus service. Facilities must be kept clean and presentable.

Revenue from advertising may be possible – as here in Cambridge.

Simple, robust bicycle infrastructure must be provided throughout the town to encourage bicycle usage.

Bicycle use is not widely accepted in Biggleswade at present, but in some UK towns it is a principal form of transport.

Car parks need to be seen as urban squares where parking is possible. They need to be secure and allow equitable access.

Car parks need to be attractive arrival areas for the town. This bank could support large trees and shrubs and enhance the setting – for visitors and nearby residents.

All pathways and routes through the town should present attractive, safe environments.

The river in Biggleswade is not well utilised in the townscape.

Here in St Neots the river frontage provides an attractive asset.

Green space needs to be reviewed throughout Biggleswade. What is it for? What could it achieve? Is it giving value for money? Could local residents help manage it?

Many open spaces in Biggleswade are devoid of all but the most basic facilities and provide little character for the locality.

‘Green space’ like this could be providing a screen from the railway, an attractive backdrop for the residents and a habitat for wildlife.

This is a small open space in Hunstanton, which provides views over the sea, and relief from housing, but little else.

A similar space nearby has been developed as a ‘multi-sensory park’ with a variety of interest for all ages and abilities.

The space provides equality of access for those with restricted mobility, and utilises texture, form, material and colour variety.

Local artists have produced visual and written elements that describe the local natural heritage of North Norfolk.

This area in the Saxon Gate development is too small to succeed as a really useful open space. Houses are so close one would feel self-conscious whilst in it, and most recreational activities would annoy residents or damage the enclosing shrub planting.

The design is fussy and the planting will need a lot of maintenance without really creating a feature.

This space in another town is bigger (about 30 x 60m). It is still overlooked by houses (security), but is big enough to sit in without feeling self-conscious. It will be big enough for the Beech and Chestnut trees at the far end to mature successfully and there is room to kick a ball outside the play area. The simple groundcover and bulb planting is easily maintained whilst creating an attractive feature.