Band 8.5 — Maps: A Town Centre in 2005 and Today

The two maps illustrate how the centre of a small town has changed since 2005.

Overall, the town centre has been noticeably modernised and pedestrianised. The most significant developments are the replacement of the small shops with a shopping centre, the relocation of parking underground and the closure of the High Street to traffic, whereas the market square and park have been retained.

In 2005, the High Street, which was open to cars, ran through the middle of the centre. To the north of it stood the library, the market square and a car park, while the area to the south contained a public park in the west and a row of small shops in the east.

Today, the High Street has been pedestrianised, and the small shops have given way to a shopping centre with a food court. In the north-east, the surface car park was demolished to make way for an apartment block, with parking moved underground, and the library has been extended to include a café. The park and the market square, by contrast, remain intact, thereby preserving some green and open space at the heart of the town.