More than 100 of you took the time to join us at Borderville Sports Centre on a very warm Saturday 4th July.
It was a pleasure to welcome Stamford residents and your families, including neighbours living alongside Stamford North. Many of us had been in touch before, but it was great to meet some of you – and hear your views - for the first time.
Every activity generated fascinating conversations and insights. These included guided walks around the area to workshops, surveys and activities focused on drawing-out your preferences around movement, nature, play and community spaces.
All this was built around two central themes:
- Updating you on recent news and progress; and
- Developing Stamford North’s Design Code. This will establish the guidelines for how the new place looks and feels, ensuring it feels like a natural extension of Stamford and reflects the qualities that make the town so distinctive.
This article is a high-level summary of everything you told us on the day. We have summarised every conversation with you, compiled every comment you wrote, and logged the results of every survey you completed. These are all with the team responsible for the Design Code and will be used to help shape their work.
What you told us
Conversation flowed throughout the day. We tried to record everything you observed and suggested. Perhaps the strongest message of the day was the importance of landscape.
The proposed Valley Park, which will run through the heart of Stamford North, generated considerable enthusiasm. You spoke positively about creating a landscape that is rich in wildlife. You want it to be somewhere you’d like to spend time.
Wildflower meadows, biodiversity, community orchards, edible planting and places for nature all featured strongly in your thoughts. You were also keen on walking routes (for dogs and people) through the park.
When it comes to children, you have a strong preference for adventurous, nature-based play, including places to explore, climb, discover and spend time outdoors.
You suggested that we try to create more opportunities for teenagers and young adults. We mentioned to several of you that we are speaking with representatives of organisations across Stamford to ensure younger voices continue to be part of the conversation.
The proposed local centre also generated lots of positive discussion.
Rather than simply providing shops and services, we discussed the benefits of a place where neighbours can meet informally, where events are held and where people of all ages feel welcome.
The guided walks proved to be one of the highlights of the day.
Walking through Stamford North alongside members of the design team allowed people to experience the landscape first-hand, discuss views, topography and existing features, and better understand how the emerging masterplan has been shaped by the natural contours of the land.
Our transport and movement workshop prompted constructive discussions about how you currently move around Stamford today and how new walking, cycling, bus and road connections could improve things.
Thanks to those of you who, in addition to our activities and chats, found time to complete more formal questionnaires. We will publish the answers to those later in the summer.
These were intended to help us understand your transport priorities which, for obvious reasons, need to be planned before houses.
You asked us to provide a reliable and frequent bus service as an early priority.
You identified safe walking and cycling routes as important, along with better connections between the existing town and Stamford North.
We also explored the idea of mobility hubs – like cycle parking near to bus stops, but your immediate preference was for small, practical improvements to make journeys easier and more comfortable. Many of you requested better seating and shelter while waiting for buses, and improved local information and maps incorporating Stamford North.
Our focused transport discussions reinforced a wider theme across the day: you want it to be easier and safer to choose walking, cycling and public transport for everyday journeys while ensuring the wider road network continues to work effectively.
What are you worried about?
Traffic remains an important issue, something you have raised consistently throughout our engagement.
We know how much this matters. We explained how our existing plans include improvements to existing roads, investment in bus services and better walking and cycling connections. We created a comprehensive transport strategy for Stamford North that helped enable our initial planning consent. This included comprehensive, independent traffic modelling.
As the project progresses, we will continue to explain how this work is developing and listen carefully to the views people share with us.
Some of you also raised questions about the southern edge of Stamford North – where it meets the existing town. This, and the proposed acoustic mitigation, are important issues that we will continue to discuss, particularly with those of you most directly affected.
What happens next?
Our immediate focus is preparing the Design Code, from streets and public spaces to building guidance, landscape and green infrastructure. Your ideas will feed directly into this work.
We want to submit the Design Code to South Kesteven District Council for approval in autumn 2026.
In the meantime, archaeological investigations will continue over the summer.
That will happen through ongoing conversations and engagement, forensic attention to detail, and the development of a Design Code that is attractive, ambitious, and linked closely to local heritage.
Thank you once again
We were so delighted to be joined by so many enthusiastic, supportive and candid people on the 4th July. It’s important to repeat that every one of your comments, ideas and conversations will help inform the Design Code and the future of Stamford North. Thank you for your time, your ideas and your continued involvement—it was a pleasure meeting you all and we look forward to the next time.
Alice, Nick, Paul and the rest of our team.