Improve East-West Connections
The parks, river and canal are the real strengths of the Hemel Hempstead Town Centre, but many visitors don’t know that these assets exist. The Jellicoe Water Gardens, for example, is hidden from the main shopping parade, while the same happens to Gadebridge Park in relation to the Old Town High Street.
Many visitors to the park, including the splash park in the summer, do not visit the Old Town High Street, as there is no clear visibility across St Mary’s Churchyard.
The Moors connecting the Town Centre to the Train station, the Walled Gardens and Paradise Fields are other hidden assets.
The River Gade creates a natural route that connects the Hemel Hempstead Town Centre with Gadebridge Park and the Grand Union Canal, at the south of the town centre.
The Town Centre Vision focuses on how Hemel Hempstead can make the most of these assets and how to curate the spaces between buildings in order to enhance the East-West connections within the town centre.