RESIDENTS have had their say on a multi-million-plan pound plan to regenerate Evesham town centre.

The bid for £9 million in government funding would see a number of new cycling and walking routes created in a bid to cut congestion throughout the busy town centre as well as support plans to create new heritage and tourist attractions.

Wychavon District Council has made the bid to the Government’s Levelling Up Fund which is designed to help support schemes that improve and regenerate town centres.

More than 100 comments were left on the Evesham Journal Facebook page reacting to the news with some calling the plans “a waste of money.”

Others welcomed the potential boost for the town centre.

Ray Jones on the Evesham Journal Facebook page said: “Moved away from Evesham a few years ago after eight lovely years. But it’s not that idyllic rural market town any longer. Traffic in central Birmingham is easier to navigate. The amount of housing just isn’t suitable. Roads, schools, doctors… etc all overcrowded. Port St is like the ghetto. So I’m sorry but spending a few million on the town centre isn’t going to solve Evesham’s issues. The place is ruined.”

Also on the Evesham Journal Facebook page, Lucy Hopkins said: “Let's hope something is done with the Riverside shopping centre. Also please spend the money across the town centre.”

Ang Harrison said: “So many negative comments! So would the residents of Evesham rather have nothing spent on it and continue with the downward spiral! Yeah there is a lot of work to do but at least there’s talk of some money being spent on our town!”

Andrew Ching said: “If it happens, this can only be good. I've seen too many of these "potential investments" here and when I lived in Worcester (same thing there too).

“I really hope we can do this, it would be a real "shot in the arm" for the town. Things are already looking more positive, this would really help to accelerate that change.”

Keith Wright said: “Is this purely funding for the reuse of the shopping centre or are we going to see real change?

“Something far reaching and sustainable in consultation with residents or are we going to be underwhelmed and told this is what we are doing? Come on Wychavon let's have a proper consultation and work together to make this opportunity real, take the risk and trust the people a bit more.”

John Southern said: “The days of high street shopping are long gone. When you have the internet plus out of town retail parks with free parking, people will always take the easy option and then you throw in high rents and business rates to further compound the problem.”

Stewart Rutherford said: “We moved here over 30 years ago, it was a thriving lovely place with plenty of shops and things to do. It's just gone downhill rapidly no longer what it was, too much building outside the town for businesses and housing, not enough infrastructure to cope with increasing traffic.”