Whitebirk planning application.

[garinda]

Gayle mentioned Hebden Bridge, which as a satellite town, with a population of only 4,500, can't really be compared to Accy, but I do take her point about the diversity there.

I came across this interesting article, about what's made Hebden Bridge so thriving a place. Apparently it's all down to gays and lesbians!

http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/ViewA...icleID=1046694

[cashman]

Originally Posted by Gayle

Can't see why you think I'm sitting on the fence here - I've clearly stated that I support the changes.

I also believe that it will cause the town to suffer. But let's stop and think about the town centre for a minute. Are you all back in your rosy haze about the wonderful town centre that we had thirty years ago or are you actually talking about today's town centre? Because in my opinion the town centre is already dead in its current format.

What is needed is the following:-
An huge influx of development money into the town centre
Some creative thinking that moves away from traditional town centre approaches
Improved bus routes and development plans to alter the routes to the new retail park
A design approach to making the town centre 'look' better - and by that I don't mean just flowers (although not criticising them) but someone who can improve fascias and shop fronts
Something that is an attraction in the town centre - whether it's specialist book shops like Hay, arts stuffs like Hebden bridge or a farm in the centre - something that sets it apart
Creative events in the town centre each week i.e. music, buskers, jugglers etc - all things that enhance the liveliness of the town
Knock a few buildings down in the town centre to open it up and build a better bus station and a more open vibrant market

The town centre is already dead so instead of trying to rebuild it just like it was (that's no longer viable in today's market) do something different.


I think I have enough opinions here to safely say that I am nowhere near the fence at the moment!

answer to why ? cos as you clearly stated you are for the thing- yet say you are unable to vote, thats clear as mud. i agree entirely the town centre is dead in its present format, but i think with this it will be buried,the suggestions A-Bob, made have much merit, but who the hell can honestly say the trust HBC to push hard to obtain them?

[garinda]

This made me laugh.

'They (the lesbians) either work outside Hebden Bridge or they create their own jobs within the alternative community. 'And let's face it - no local is going to complain that any job which involves aromatherapy and meditation is theirs by right.'

Lesbians the toast of the Two Ferrets | UK News | The Observer

[Acrylic-bob]

I certainly think that something needs to be done to curtail the proliferation of Fast Food Takeaways. Allright, I accept that they occupy otherwise empty retail premises and contribute to the local economy through business rates but, operating mainly in the evenings, they can hardly be said to contribute much to the retail experience and do not really make the streetscape very attractive.

Another bone of contention is the conversion of retail units in the town centre to offices to accomodate Solicitors, Accountants, Estate Agents and Insurance Brokers etc.; this is one of the reasons why town centre rents are so high.

For both of these scourges the only body to blame is the local planning authority.

[Mick]

Getting back on topic Garinda
you really need transport to get to Whitebirk retail park.
i dont think there is a bus service there and back so i only go when i can get a lift.
if there was a bus service i would use it more often.

[Acrylic-bob]

And another thing......When you have a local authority who believe that the only solution to falling market rent revenue is to raise them beyond the reach of all but those with the very deepest pockets then you are clearly on the slippery slope to decline and closure.

Accrington Town Centre has a great many problems to overcome, the chief of which is HBC and its planning department.

[Lilly]

Originally Posted by mick

well we have a lot of accyweb members that live here in Hyndburn so where you consulted?
i was not !

We had a questionnaire sent to us,I think it was Peel Holdings that sent it,asking whether or not we would be in favour of the new development.This was ages ago though,think it was last year sometime.Did no-one else get one?We can't have been the only ones.

[garinda]

Originally Posted by mick

Getting back on topic Garinda

Sorry if you think I was going off thread.

Hebden Bridge was mentioned as an example of a town with a diverse range of businesses, and the Mayor of Hebden Bridge's comments as to why it is so thriving, I do think are relevant to the discussion.

[garinda]

Originally Posted by Lilly

We had a questionnaire sent to us,I think it was Peel Holdings that sent it,asking whether or not we would be in favour of the new development.This was ages ago though,think it was last year sometime.Did no-one else get one?We can't have been the only ones.

No, I didn't get a questionnaire. Did you get it through the post?

[Lilly]

Yes,it came in the post.

[Gayle]

Originally Posted by cashman

answer to why ? cos as you clearly stated you are for the thing- yet say you are unable to vote, thats clear as mud. i agree entirely the town centre is dead in its present format, but i think with this it will be buried,the suggestions A-Bob, made have much merit, but who the hell can honestly say the trust HBC to push hard to obtain them?

Because I agree with both statements on the poll. So whilst I support the changes I also think that it will affect the town centre. I can't vote for either as I think either are actually correct.

[Gayle]

Originally Posted by garinda

Since you are no longer sitting on the fence (), which buildings would you knock down?

The logical places to me would be to knock down the block that is a sort of triangle to the right of the bus station - one side of Peel St (the Peel Chemist side) across to Blackburn Rd and up to Abbey St. I would then develop that into a better bus station, central square and large market.

This would then open up the route to Warner St and that side of town better and would create far more opportunities for the rest of the the town than those little shops have in that area. Sorry if you own a shop in that area but you've got to be cruel to be kind.

[cashman]

Originally Posted by mick

Getting back on topic Garinda
you really need transport to get to Whitebirk retail park.
i dont think there is a bus service there and back so i only go when i can get a lift.
if there was a bus service i would use it more often.

thats my main gripe its ok for me i have a car, many have not, straying a bit this is the mentality Thatcher created in people.

[WillowTheWhisp]

Originally Posted by Gayle

The logical places to me would be to knock down the block that is a sort of triangle to the right of the bus station - one side of Peel St (the Peel Chemist side) across to Blackburn Rd and up to Abbey St. I would then develop that into a better bus station, central square and large market.

This would then open up the route to Warner St and that side of town better and would create far more opportunities for the rest of the the town than those little shops have in that area. Sorry if you own a shop in that area but you've got to be cruel to be kind.

Wow! If I've got you right there Gayle are you including the Baptist Church and the telephone exchange?

We did have a big space in the center of town - it had the old market in it before they got turfed out and that Wilkinson's block got built. I could have thought of better ways of developing that area than building shops which to this day have never been fully occupied all at the same time.

As for the bus station, again we had more room for buses before half of it was comandeered for the market.

The market is now squished into an area far too small and the buses are crowded into a 'bus street' where they don't all fit.


No, I never got a questionaire but I don't think I'd have voted in favour. Even if there was a regular bus service I want to be able to do my shopping in the town not several miles outside. I find it annoying enough to have to go there for the white goods and PC World. In fact I specifically didn't go there for the last 'white goods' purchase but used a local shop in Ossy.

Even Hebden Bridge has lost some of the character that it used to have but it's far more interesting than Accy - it also has an open river running through the middle and some cute little bridges over it. Hint, hint.

[garinda]

Just out of interest, how many people actually shop in Accrington on a regular basis, and I don't mean just driving into the carpark at ASDA once a week?