What’s special about Downham Market?

Downham Market by Design is the project to produce a Town Design Statement (TDS) for Downham Market.

Downham Market is a historic market town on rising ground at the eastern edge of the Fens. It sits alongside two navigable waterways, the tidal River Great Ouse and its Flood Relief Channel.

The town has a distinctive sense of place. Its character comes from its historic importance, its rural location, the layout and design of roads and buildings, some interesting architectural detailing and the use of traditional local building materials (the town has sometimes been referred to as the “Gingerbread Town”).

For our Town Design Statement we've selected three topics relevant to the character of the whole town: 

• The rural character of the town - Downham Market's rural location is important to its economic growth as a service centre for tourists to the region. This work will highlight those things that contribute to the town's rural 'feel'.
   
• The riversides - a group is exploring the design implications of increased leisure and tourism activity at the western edge of the town.
   
• Building materials and styles - selected buildings and groups of buildings from across the town will be used to provide architects and developers with ideas and precedents.

Six more groups will focus on local areas that have developed contrasting identities linked to their own history.

The old town covers the most historic part of the town and includes High Street, Bridge Street, Paradise Road and Priory Road which are thought to date from the 15th century.

As the town grew the Victorians built out along the trunk roads leading to the north, east, and south. In more recent times these roads have been subject to some infill development. These main arteries are the focus for our second local area group.

Since World War II there has been further growth and changes to the road network so that traffic can now bypass the town. These roads provide outer limits to the continuing growth of Downham Market. The remaining four working groups are looking at the distinctive character of buildings, public spaces, and the town-edge in the four quadrants: south-west, south-east, north-east and north-west.

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You can download a “Beginner’s Guide” to our Town Design Statement.

Submit consultation feedback (opens e-mail programme)