A facelift could be on the cards for Westover Road as Bournemouth’s Town Centre Master Vision unveils radical improvements.

Ideas announced in a consultation document about the Vision include increasing the width of pavements to give greater pedestrian priority and space for outside dining.

This artist’s impression gives a flavour of what Westover Road could look like when the improvements are complete. Public feedback about the Vision is being sought through widespread consultation.

The Vision seeks to get rid of dark alleyways, reduce traffic, improve links to Bournemouth Gardens and bring vacant stores back into use. It sees the Westover Road of the future as a cultural/leisure quarter.

Cllr John Beesley, Deputy Leader of Bournemouth Council, said: “This street was once known as ‘the Bond Street of Bournemouth’ but it has become tired. The two cinemas are likely to relocate and we already have a large empty ice rink with an uncertain future.

“We want to attract independent niche stores to Westover Road, to make shop frontages more attractive. Improving retail in Bournemouth is a major goal and will help us compete with neighbouring cities.”

Within the Vision are plans to better link Bournemouth’s main shopping streets of Commercial Road, Old Christchurch Road and Westover Road through clever landscaping, to design more covered shopping and construct contemporary glass shopping pavilions.

Town centre stores will be encouraged to open later to better suit flexible working hours.

A DVD explaining the vision is available to download from the Council’s website and, over the coming days, further information about the vision will be revealed.

For a copy of the consultation document call 01202 458229 or visit www.bournemouth.gov.uk/towncentrevision. Consultation closes on October 31, 2008.