The Grange Centre and car park
Greener and more inviting, increasing footfall to the Old Town and town centre
Midhurst like many towns suffers problems from traffic, parking and a struggling high street.
Midhurst does not currently cater for visitors particularly well in terms of directing them to the best car park, welcoming them, providing information about the town and helping them navigate around it to make the most of their experience and encourage them to return.
The Grange project addresses a number of these issues with a combination of improvements, which together could lead to more significant benefits for the town’s residents, visitors and businesses.
Improvement to car park signs
The current signs refer to The Grange and North Street car parks which are fairly meaningless to visitors. The Grange, our largest car park is under-utilised and is the pedestrian gateway to the Old Town which has very low footfall. It has 2 hours free parking which is not advertised in any way. The proposed new signs are to encourage greater use of this car park, particularly to those arriving from the south and west, which could also reduce traffic on the often congested Rumbolds Hill and North Street.
Current signs
Proposed new signs
Creating a sense of arrival and welcome
Currently there aren’t any signs in the Grange car park welcoming people to Midhurst and directing them to the Old Town and Town Centre.
Proposed new corten steel ‘Welcome to Midhurst’ sign similar to that in photo montage of North Street car park to be put on the front of The Grange building.
© Deacon Design Landscape Architects
Grange green walkway – linking the car park with Old Town and town centre
This is to introduce interpretative signs with a map and information about Midhurst town and area for locals and visitors, using QR codes with links to further information. This would include walking and cycling routes around the town, along the river and to Cowdray ruins, historic sites and various places of interest – Market Square, the museum, South Downs Centre, shops, cafes, pubs, hotels etc.
Green Walkway Plan with wildflower meadow, native plants giving year-round interest, more trees, benches and signs leading people through to the Old Town – ‘bringing the South Downs in”.
Photo montage of earlier landscape proposal
This plan/illustration has evolved and now has timber benches. A linear sculpture is subject to further funding.
© Deacon Design Landscape Architects
Electric charging points
We are also working with CDC to introduce electric charging points to this, our largest car park. Currently there are only 2 charging points at North Street car park. The installation of electric charge points here should also be another reason for more people to use the Grange Car Park.