Our town developments.

[Maggie/915]

Great to see the amount of work that has gone into the new developments.

Sadly it is all very controversial.

All the work appears to be funded by the controversial new housing. This means loss of parking spaces and therefore will mean no extra land for development after regeneration.

All space will be used to the maximum .

[Canny lass]

Any information for us ex-pats on the plans for the market place?

[Maggie/915]

Fifty plus houses.

Library , small /ish supermarket and other units.

Basically anything is better than 'Nowt.'

Two options at the display : lots of people to talk to about it all.

The three rejected options are on display.

No answers to more school places and other related issues.

Why have other towns been developed with masses of money?

The steering group have put in a huge amount of work and I am sure have raised the same issues.

Could it all work : I hope so !

[mercuryg]

I shall be checking this out later today; must say there's been a lot of controversy over at the Bygone Bedlington Facebook page (always worth a visit, BTW) and elsewhere.

[Symptoms]

Now, I haven't yet looked at the proposals shown elsewhere on here, I'll do that later when I've a bit more time but ... pound to a pinch of dog sh*t, if anything gets built it'll be just like the majority of other new stuff chucked-up in most English towns.  A gross pastiche of the Legoland style, fake columns, fake Mansard rooflines, fake chimney stacks, vivid colours for the brickwork and beige paviors everywhere, all puntuated by stainless steel planters.  Yuk!!!

A nice old town like Bedders needs the gaps in Front St filled with buildings sympathetic to what already there, namely, low-level and built of sandstone.  Bring on the conservation architects!!!

[mercuryg]

All true, Sym, but as things stand, something is better than nothing. More to say when I have access to a full keyboard!

[Scorpio]

I try to keep up-to-date with what's going on locally but I must have missed the plans for the marketplace.

It will be interesting to see how well the new developments fit in with the existing conservation area requirements  http://www.northumberland.gov.uk/WAMDocuments/54D8A65F-C44C-43A9-A7A0-96FE7ABD4A2D_3_0.pdf?nccredirect=1

 

 

[mercuryg]

Scorpio, the plans are here: https://bedlingtondesigncompetition.wordpress.com/

I've posted here my comments from the Bygone Bedlington FB page (which has been a fun hotbed of controversy these past couple of days) and would like tro explain the opening as I believe it is more fitting here than over there. I firmly believe - and did before I even viewed the proposals - that we, that's the people of the town, were not being 'consulted' at all, but were being given the choice of two designs, one of which was far more preferable than the other. I am now convinced I am right. I also believed I would be seeing five proposals, and would be given a chance to comment on each; while all five are there, three are presented only in one page format, with the proviso that they have already been rejected. Comment on this and you are fed excuses left, right and centre, but not - I must add - from the people who should be explaining, rather others who - rather oddly - seem to be toeing the party line. However, that's enough of that, this is about the potential regeneration of a part of the town that is, quite frankly, all but dead and buried, so my comment was:

"So, having been to see the proposals, a few points: I'll leave aside the political machinations, in that this is not a consultation but a presentation. Overall, while neither proposal is perfect - and nor could any be so - one, the Leslie Jones, wins hands down. It is as sympathetic to the nature of the town as it can be, and attractively presented, I'm at odds with the many dissenters who are disappointed with the proposals; in general, this is due to the presence of housing. It's a mixed use site, housing is part of it, and what's more, the inclusion of one and two bed, smaller properties is in my view a good thing. If we are to encourage the younger generations to live in the town, we have to give them something they can afford. I liked the layout and combination of the retail and commercial elements, and the regeneration of derelict and unloved parts of the site. In fact, I don't know how anyone can not be positive about it. I took a walk around the site afterwards - avoiding the shows as I could - and can't see why anybody would prefer what is there now to what should be an attractive mix of new retail outlets, pleasant housing units and commercial properties, as well as a new supermarket. I look forward to seeing it come to life. Get behind it people, at last something is happening for the good."

 

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[Maggie/915]

Good comments mercuryg.

It seems everyone is angry but not with the 'local group' who are desperately trying to help the town we all love.

Now there seems to be a plan. I would like to see the County Councillors input. Maybe I have missed what they have said or done to help the process.

Ok they did have their pictures taken when Arch bought the site, but now we need their views on this hugely significant development.  Maybe even a comment from the MP would help.

'Affordable houses ' that statement needs definition. We have flats and houses standing empty. Some at reasonable prices. Government help to buy can prove a problem. We have friends whose daughter bought a new flat with help to buy. The value of the property has not been maintained and now she cannot move.

A mortgage can prove to be a problem with negative equity. New builds look great to start with but can and do have huge problems.

I wonder what will be built first houses or retail !

[tonyg]

95 per cent . of the people of Bedlington who i have spoken to want no more housing. and more Retail.

[John Fox (foxy)]

The housing will come first, and as there already is an abundance of empty properties in Bedlington that the young people  cannot afford, 

new Tennants who will qualify for benefits will soon be Shipped in. Watch this space.

.

[mercuryg]

I have to state I'm not in the corner that cries 'no more housing' and I'm not sure '95%' of those I have spoken to are, either. Either way, the simple fact is this is a mixed use development; housing is part of it, so we have no option. Also, Tony, I'm not sure if you have seen the proposals, but there is plenty of fresh retail space included. The problem is getting retailers to take up the option. It's great wanting more retail, but we then have to repay them by using it. Foxy, you have a good point, an inevitable one.

[Malcolm Robinson]

Tonyg could probably have said 100% coz he only speaks to one person!  

[tonyg]

Could you tell me who this one person is coz i'm sure all the others would be surprised to find out they don't actually exist!!

[Malcolm Robinson]

They don't after your 3rd pint Tony!  

[John Fox (foxy)]

Tony, chin up lad it was either Randall or Hopkirk, not sure which one was there on Thursday night,  too many Coors.

 

[Maggie/915]

tonyg everyone matters in my opinion.

We all have our own 'spin' on the developments.

The houses to be built to finance the development raise the question of how much money is raised from other houses being built elsewhere in the town and what they will finance .

Once we are divided and argue then people can claim the moral high ground and simply get away with anything.

At some stage our elected leaders to the NCC and parliament need to explain exactly what they have done within the process.

i personally think that could help.

Particularly if the disparity between our town and others could be part of that explanation.

We all love our town but we also like the area and are proud to be Northumbrians.

[Maggie/915]

How about this quote:-

'i believe that if life gives you lemons, you should make lemonade - and try to find somebody whose life has given them vodka and have a party' Ron White

Now who has the knowledge and funding for that leisure centre. Better quality tiles are needed.

The new leisure centre swimmingpool at a town nearby is to close because the tiles are a problem .