Pennine Lancashire Squared

[Gayle]

There are plans to create a new public space in Accrington either outside the market hall, or the town hall or in the space currently occupied by the bus station.

There is an international competition to find the designs to alter one of those spaces. This project is managed by Elevate East Lancashire - see the attached flyers.

There was an initial consultation exercise at Accrington Town Hall today to start to talk to local people about what is actually wanted in those spaces. There was a piece in the Acc Observer about it last week but it was quite small so I can imagine you may have over looked it. All the purpose of today's consultation was, was to start the debate so there were 10 questions being asked.

I asked those organising it if I could post the questions on here on their behalf to get some additional views.

Here are the questions

1. There is always the good, bad and the ugly but what do you love about Accrington and what are the great things that make it unique?

2. When visiting the town centre, where do you go; is market a place you visit, do you stop, people watch, meet friends, have a coffee or just pass by? What currently happens in the spaces around the town hall and market place?

3. What is the Pennine Landscape?

4. Are there any people and/or events in Accrington’s history which might be reflected in the designs?

5. What is the best time of year to be in Accrington town centre?

6. If Accrington town centre was a meal, what would it be and what would it taste of?

7. What is the essential character and quality of Accrington and its people that distinguishes Accrington from its neighbouring Pennine towns?

8. What aspects or preconceptions of the town, its character, culture or community would you like the scheme either to reinforce or dispel?

9. New public spaces will be created in front of the town hall, market place and in the space currently occupied by the bus station in Peel Street. What do you, the residents of Accrington, want to see in these spaces?

10. What would make Accrington a better place?


Please put your answers in this thread. This is a genuine attempt to support a consultation and hopefully get some debate going, I will report any posts that wander. Thanks for your help.

[cashman]

i will ask a question gayle, before digesting yer A-La-Carte meal, is there a definate yet as to where the bus station will be re-sited?

[BERNADETTE]

Is it not going next to the railway station?

[Gayle]

Originally Posted by cashman

i will ask a question gayle, before digesting yer A-La-Carte meal, is there a definate yet as to where the bus station will be re-sited?

Not from what I've heard. The current site has been put forward as one of the proposed sites for the new public space but that will obviously be dependent on the re-siting of the bus station. If the re-siting doesn't go ahead then clearly they'll have to focus on one of the other spaces as the new space. I think that's why these questions are quite vague in that respect.

[Gayle]

Please don't get distracted by the bus station issue when responding to the questions.

[cashman]

i think what makes it unique fer me is free parking, a founder member of the football league, n ex Lancs n England opener n manager, the front man in Yes, plus many many more, fer a small town its got more than its share of famous people WHO remember their roots. have travelled n lived in quite a few places n Never come across people as sound. whilst everyone may not agree, i think more focus should be put on what sons/daughters accy has produced.

[Wynonie Harris]

Agree with Cashy that it's the folk who make Accy. They're warm and friendly, yet at the same time, they possess a certain steely resolve. It's that resolve which has enabled Accrington to consistently punch above its weight. It's really too small to have a football league club...but it did have one and now it has one again. It's really too small to support a Pals Batallion...but it did do with great distinction. As Cashy says, it has more than it's fair share of famous people in many different fields.

I also think that the central area in question makes Accy unique, too. When I was queueing up to go into the Food Fair in the town hall a few months ago, there were two women obviously from another town stood in front of me chatting. They looked up at the town hall and the market hall in admiration, as one said to the other, "don't they look great? We don't have that in our town anymore, because they knocked it all down to build concrete blocks." There's so much potential going to waste in that area at the moment. I'd like to see it developed with gardens, maybe some sort of band/concert stand, with perhaps murals reflecting the town's claims to fame and its distinguished sons and daughters. Just an initial thought, really...

[Retlaw]

[quote=Gayle;654690]There are plans to create a new public space in Accrington either outside the market hall, or the town hall or in the space currently occupied by the bus station.

There is an international competition to find the designs to alter one of those spaces. This project is managed by Elevate East Lancashire - see the attached flyers.

What I would like to know is.
Who's paying for all this?.
Who finances this Elevate?.
Who's paying theses design teams?.
How much has it cost so far?.

No matter what excuse for their existence, or where the finances are supposed to come from, it still boils down to one thing, the money comes from the working mans pay packet, whether directly or indirectly, and he'd rather keep it, than it be wasted on some arty farty project that serves no useful purpose.

Retlaw.

[Tealeaf]

[quote=Gayle;654690]There is an international competition to find the designs to alter one of those spaces. This project is managed by Elevate East Lancashire - see the attached flyers.

No problem in finding the designs, Gayle - but is the money in place to develop the space once there is a winning design? I suspect not, and this is the usual old Accy story of coming up with grand plans which come to nowt (Unfortunately).

[cashman]

[QUOTE=Tealeaf;654719]

Originally Posted by Gayle

No problem in finding the designs, Gayle - but is the money in place to develop the space once there is a winning design? I suspect not, and this is the usual old Accy story of coming up with grand plans which come to nowt (Unfortunately).

thats the million dollar question, remember the "Zeri" complex up huncoat! our centre is pretty unique these days i reckon, not that many towns of our size still retain such great buildings. the trick is to retain, develop n attract, new business.in this climate not easy, but a move in the right direction would go some way to doing it.

[Gayle]

I would like to focus on the questions asked above please.

I have been asked where the money is coming from and please remember it's not my project I'm only trying to get more responses to the questions to help the process.

But I've done a bit of searching on the Elevate website and it does say that the funding is place from NWDA. It looks like this really might happen chaps.

[Tealeaf]

[quote=Gayle;654690]
I asked those organising it if I could post the questions on here on their behalf to get some additional views.

Here are the questions

And here are my answers (concentating on the town centre).

1. There is always the good, bad and the ugly but what do you love about Accrington and what are the great things that make it unique?

Magnificent Victoran Architecture highlights a well laid out town centre

2. When visiting the town centre, where do you go; is market a place you visit, do you stop, people watch, meet friends, have a coffee or just pass by? What currently happens in the spaces around the town hall and market place?

Shop, certainly not drink.

3. What is the Pennine Landscape?

A Marketing gimmick

4. Are there any people and/or events in Accrington’s history which might be reflected in the designs?

I notice that the Elevate site refers to Peel Square. Where did this name come from? I know of Peel Steet and the bus station, but no square. I suspect this is another marketing gimmick, although somewhat premptive.

Without being accused of overkill in relation to the Pals (excuse the dreadful pun), why not give the intended square a reminder, in the form of the name of the village that was their intended objective that fateful day, i.e Serre Square or Place? That would also serve to enhance Accy's Euro credentials.

5. What is the best time of year to be in Accrington town centre?

Christmas

6. If Accrington town centre was a meal, what would it be and what would it taste of?

Hotpot

7. What is the essential character and quality of Accrington and its people that distinguishes Accrington from its neighbouring Pennine towns?

Gradual development rater than wholescale rebuild

8. What aspects or preconceptions of the town, its character, culture or community would you like the scheme either to reinforce or dispel?

Use local stone and Accy Brick within the design; plant some Oak trees.

9. New public spaces will be created in front of the town hall, market place and in the space currently occupied by the bus station in Peel Street. What do you, the residents of Accrington, want to see in these spaces?

As above, with stone paths and lawn areas.

10. What would make Accrington a better place?

Stop the Tesco development. Do something about the back of the townhall overlooking Boadway. Expand the pedestrian only area.




Happy Now, Gayle?

[Gayle]

Very happy, thank you Tealeaf

[garinda]

1. There is always the good, bad and the ugly but what do you love about Accrington and what are the great things that make it unique?

The Victorian buildings, and the people.

2. When visiting the town centre, where do you go; is market a place you visit, do you stop, people watch, meet friends, have a coffee or just pass by? What currently happens in the spaces around the town hall and market place?

Yes, we shop in the Market Hall, after having had lunch at the Church St. chippy.
What happens in the space around the Town Hall/ Market Hall is we walk across it as quickly as possible because the wind whips across it, and even on summer days it's usually in shadow, and therefore cold.

3. What is the Pennine Landscape?
Hilly.

4. Are there any people and/or events in Accrington’s history which might be reflected in the designs?

Accy Pals, plus all the textile and associated engineering firms that brought people to the area to work/live.

5. What is the best time of year to be in Accrington town centre?

When it's sunny, so if you're lucky you might be able to find a seat to sit on...and it'll be hopefully dry, if it hasn't rained in the previous 3 days.


6. If Accrington town centre was a meal, what would it be and what would it taste of?

Steak pudding, chips, mushy peas, and gravy.



7. What is the essential character and quality of Accrington and its people that distinguishes Accrington from its neighbouring Pennine towns?

Friendliness.

8. What aspects or preconceptions of the town, its character, culture or community would you like the scheme either to reinforce or dispel?

Friends who've visited expected the place to be ugly and new, and were presently suprised at the attractiveness of the buildings, especially the Town and Market Halls, Church and Warner Streets.

9. New public spaces will be created in front of the town hall, market place and in the space currently occupied by the bus station in Peel Street. What do you, the residents of Accrington, want to see in these spaces?

Something that provides shelter from the wind, and which is covered, because it does actually rain here, unlike the Med.

10. What would make Accrington a better place?

A better outdoor market, which we used to have, and less discount shops.

[Gayle]

Thanks Garinda, anyone else?