We currently have in excess of 700 members, mostly residents of the town and it’s surrounding areas. A committee of 15 represents and works with it’s members. The committee is made up from a broad group of residents ranging in ages from 25 to the retired, having a common interest in the preservation and development of the town.  We all love our beautiful town but deplore how it has been desecrated over the last few years with huge housing developments, huge traffic problems and so on.

What are your aims?

Stratford Voice seeks to preserve Stratford’s market town heritage and traditional attractions. High quality design and traditional local materials in all new developments. A healthy district economy, without destroying it’s rural character. Allocation of sufficient ‘development’ land for affordable housing, employment, education  and leisure activities to support the local population. Improved traffic management and public transport, to reduce road congestion and improve  the towns environment.

Protection of green fields, with more tree planting and green spaces in towns. Greater focus on environmental issues in future planning matters, particularly with respect  to global warming factors and flooding, to which the town is increasingly vulnerable.

Much earlier consultation with residents on future projects and developments.

When and why did Stratford Voice form?

Stratford Voice originated in July 2005 when a number of action groups, residents associations and individuals came together to consider how the interests, views and opinions of  local people on a wide range of issues relating to the development of the town could best  be expressed and actioned.  The founders shared a concern about the damaging changes the town had experienced in  recent years, including huge bland new housing estates, inappropriate and poor quality  commercial buildings, ever worsening traffic and a deterioration of the historic core of the  town.

The World Class Stratford initiative, which had promised to reverse this deterioration, in practice appeared to be ignoring the real problems and instead imposing unwanted  new showpiece features without any real public consultation.

What has it achieved so far?

We are recognised as a consultation partner by both the District and County Councils.

We called for a Town Poll on excessive housing in 2005 which led to the District Council  imposing a housing moratorium until 2011. Our long running campaign against the World Class Stratford proposals for a pedestrian  and cycle bridge across the Avon that would have ruined the iconic view between the  Royal Shakespeare Theatre and Holy Trinity Church resulted in the project being abandoned.

We successfully opposed the district council’s proposed ‘Stratford Eye’ ferris wheel, widely  considered by residents to be unsuitable for the town. We have gained substantial public support and momentum for our campaign to upgrade or  replace Lucy’s Mill Bridge. For full details of current campaigns please go to our campaigns page - follow this link