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A UK market town is bracing for a major shake-up to its high street, which has gone unchanged for 70 years. Marlboroughis a picturesque country town in northeast Wiltshire on the Old Bath Road, the historic road from London to Bath.

In 2024, its high street was named one of the UK's best by readers of The Times, alongside the likes of Sherbournein Dorset, Northallerton in North Yorkshire, and Wells in Somerset. In 2022, it came second in the British Harper Dennis Hobbs Vitality Ranking, which tracks the health and prosperity of town centres.

Last week, the Town Council Planning Committee discussed a "vision for the town centre", which has remained untouched since the '50s, according to MarlboroughNews. The project is being driven by Cllrs Kelvyn Shantry and Caroline Sadler. It is designed to improve access, space, and sense of place in Marlborough town centre.

It suggests short-term (under three years), medium-term (three to 10 years), and long-term (10 plus years) interventions, but these are subject to funding, consultation, and final approval.

Short-term changes include installing pedestrian crossings in busy areas of the high street and road safety improvements in six areas.

But a more dramatic long-term change involves the construction of a multistorey car park to replace parking being removed on the high street.

The report said this could "enable major public realm gains in the town centre", where pedestrians take priority over cars.

Other suggested medium-term schemes include reconfiguring junctions, widening footpaths, relocating the market, changing parking configuration, and introducing more residents' parking zones.

The town council's planning committee has been asked to note the proposed interventions and to consider its next steps during its upcoming meeting.