Thoughts on a
Presentation about the (Old) Livestock Market (Planning Application DMS 112085
RM)
Interesting – the Planning Officer presenting didn’t think
so many people would attend……………….
As this application is on “reserved matters”, no new
councillors can really have any say on it (not that some of us will let that
stop us!) – the parameters of floor space, height, and vehicle access have all been set already – so
the only input can be on “cosmetics”, though apparently there are other plans
for some parts “in preparation”.
There are various vehicle access points to the area – which
will be “signalised” – in ordinary language, that means more traffic lights,
folks! These will lead to 500+ car park spaces – so the traffic problem of
vehicles travelling INTO the city rather than through it has not been
addressed. (Oh, and remember we’ll lose however many parking spaces there are
on Merton Meadows and the other sites in the area – so it’s not 500 new
spaces).
There is seemingly no provision for taxi ranks, and the buses will stop
in the traffic on the narrowed Newmarket Street. Good news for pedestrians –
the crossings all along Blueschool Street and Newmarket Street will be slightly
more geared in YOUR favour (not that crossing the road should be a problem as
the narrowed street will surely mean traffic travelling east- west will be
stationary for a lot of the time anyway – all those lovely exhaust fumes and
particulates to breathe in!). Mind your step, though, because the design and
materials used will be the same as in Widemarsh Street. The previously
essential first phase of the link road appears to have disappeared off the
radar (it can’t have really?) – but Newmarket Street will be narrowed to single
lane carriageway each way anyway – and vehicles will be permitted to turn right
into Widemarsh Street and right out of Tesco’s car park. Ooh, this sounds like
even less fun to cycle along than it is now! Though actually, walking and
cycling into Hereford really are going to be your best options!
As to the buildings themselves – they will face inwards
around the car park areas (nice trees, though – and benches!) – with their
backs to Edgar Street and Newmarket Street – no shop fronts there – and firmly
turned away from High Town. (Strong message there, don’t you think? A kind of
architectural finger gesture – and not a nice one, either.)
The present designs look like the worst kind of 1960s factory / warehouse / school buildings – I
thought architecture had moved on, but they must have found an architect in a
time-warp! They’ll date as badly as those kinds of buildings did – and maybe
have the same maintenance issues too. There are small nods towards green walls.
Nothing about it says “we’re proud to be Hereford”. Just some red bricks. And
maybe some wooden framed buildings. (And probably expensive rents). Face it –
please. This area is NOT for local business start-up, it’s for those who’ve
already made their money, and want to write some tax off.
It all feels very second best. But most of us probably
shouldn’t worry too much. It’s a ghetto for the posh. Are those who thought
Hereford didn’t need yet another supermarket when Asda was coming going to
raise their voices? No! It’s Waitrose! So that’s alright then. (Funny thing is,
I like the idea of the John Lewis Partnership – the employees being part owners
and so on – we just don’t need yet another supermarket. Do we?) But the posh
people don’t have much choice in Hereford – apparently some of them even drive
to Monmouth for Waitrose – I hope the traffic modelling has taken that into
account! They’ll be coming in for the restaurants as well – and maybe the six
screen cinema (let’s hope it shows a wide range of films, not just blockbusters
or French art films!)
Try and be positive. The cinema could be good. Trees and
benches will be lovely, though personally I’m not that keen on sitting looking
at car parks. And it should be easier to cross the road – if you want to go
there from High Town.
Why have we accepted something second best? To force “them”
to give us a relief road – so it was said. I’m thinking carts, horses and
ordering thereof. Wake up, people! Nobody sitting in an office in Whitehall is
looking at Hereford and saying, “Gosh – these people need more roads!” The road
numbers speak for themselves – A49, A438, A465 – I worked out a long time ago
that the more digits in the number, the less important the road was considered
to be.
Get online at ukplanning.com and search for application
112085 – or go into Franklin Barnes and ask to see the information. HAVE YOUR
SAY! And do it quickly – because here’s the proposed timescale – consideration
by Committee in October 2011, demolition on site starts mid October 2011,
followed by archaeological studies etc. Construction to start January 2012 –
and expected to last around 16 months. And don’t say you weren’t warned.