Vision Statement
“The town as a whole is very perfect, chiefly because there is not one house in it that would appear violently out of place”
Nikolaus Pevsner
In the spirit of Pevsner, the future of Thaxted will be secured for future generations by protecting the Medieval buildings at its heart and ensuring that the rural setting and landscape in which they are so perfectly sited is not despoiled. We will therefore encourage change and alteration only when it enhances the Conservation Area, and resist development that is harmful. This protection of our heritage is fundamental to our vision of Thaxted in 2031.
We will improve the infrastructure and facilities for Thaxted residents while using sympathetic and careful development. We will also improve the experience of tourists who visit this unique town, thus encouraging more visitors and boosting the local economy. There will be modest and appropriate growth in the housing stock, but care will be taken over the form, scale, and location of development based on a proper understanding of this historic place. New housing development will take account of the needs of local people. The choice of houses will improve and there will be more opportunities for people to be able to stay in Thaxted through all the stages of their lives.
Residents will also benefit from improved community facilities and increased capacity at the school and doctors’ surgery. There will be restrictions on heavy traffic going through Thaxted, thus protecting fragile historic buildings and improving the safety of and air quality for residents. All remedial and development projects will be sustainable.
Over this period of 20 years, Thaxted’s historic heritage and setting will be preserved for the generations to come. Its reputation as a centre of culture and history will grow, and the local economic base will be strengthened. The sense of community and common purpose will be enhanced by the opportunities offered by new recreational facilities and a new communal space where Thaxted people can meet. It will be a town for the old and the young.