So far as we know, Nick Carter and his colleagues at West Berkshire Council would still very much like to build an 'arts pavilion' on Newbury's Victoria Park. Is this a good idea? Here is some background information:
The Newbury Society, which should be working to preserve the town, doesn't seem to have much to say on the subject http://bit.ly/osfKT8
So far as we know, both Conservative and Libdem local councillors are in favour of the scheme. If this is so, are they really in touch with the people who elected them?
Note that you can select more than one option in the poll.
So far as we know, both Conservative and Libdem local councillors are in favour of the scheme. If this is so, are they really in touch with the people who elected them?
Councillors I have spoken to about the Pavilion have a range of views - from outright opposition to lukewarm support. I suspect that most are relatively indifferent to it - but are toeing the party line (whatever that is at the moment).
And no one has been able to give even a vageuely convincing reason why an arts centre needs to be built in the park.
What bothers me about the way that WBC decide that they have a mandate to build, is the format of the public questionaire.When the first format was cobbled up, the result was quite negative. So, they had a second go and confused the questions along with their proposals for the wharf including proposals for new licensed premises. The question papers also seemed to bypass the Newbury ratepayers as I don't know anybody that received and filled one in. If they do it again, we all know now what they want to force upon us so forewarned is forearmed.
And no one has been able to give even a vageuely convincing reason why an arts centre needs to be built in the park.
The option of extending the library building has many advantages - they could simply build the new wing to look exactly like the existing one, recycling the plans and saving tens of thousands in architects fees. They might even be able to get the roof right this time. It would easily fit on the Wharf - see attached - and there would be no need to build a bridge.
The option of extending the library building has many advantages - they could simply build the new wing to look exactly like the existing one, recycling the plans and saving tens of thousands in architects fees. They might even be able to get the roof right this time. It would easily fit on the Wharf - see attached - and there would be no need to build a bridge.
Yes, excellent proposals. The site could be further extended by incorporating under a glass roof, the whole of the left hand end of the space including putting the stone building under cover. That could have a glass fronted view of the canal with a walkway in front to provide the opportunity to sit alongside the river on tables and chairs in summer but with an option for an interior space when the weather is inclement. We could do without losing the library car park space, but we were going to lose the wharf car park under the WBC proposed scheme anyway. Forget the boat wharf, if WBC can't provide car parking, why dio they need to provide boat parking. No revenue from that.
I like your thinking. Option 2, if the library extension isn't favoured by Market Street, would be to site the pavilion in Northbrook Street. A swathe of empty shops is opening up on the west side, from Curries onwards. I'm sure a decent architect could come up with a sensitive and imaginative conversion of three or four buildings which would provide ample space and breathe some life back into our high street. If the pavilion is built in the park it will only suck more people away from Northbrook St which would surely be disastrous post Parkway.
If only they'd consulted us about options in the first place rather than plonking their god-awful park destruction scheme in front of us and then spinning the 'consultation', but that's typical of the current regime.
I wonder who voted to build it in the park? Not...
No, it would not be. The members of the Newbury Few don't enter into things like polls etc. They just go ahead and dictate exactly what they are going to do!
Councillors I have spoken to about the Pavilion have a range of views - from outright opposition to lukewarm support. I suspect that most are relatively indifferent to it - but are toeing the party line (whatever that is at the moment).
And no one has been able to give even a vageuely convincing reason why an arts centre needs to be built in the park.
Becuase there is a spare green space and the Newbury Architect has designed it, enough said? What more of a reason would you require?
It is useless just whingeing on here, getting up a petition would be equally pointless, all the Councillors web adresses are published so why not email all of them continually with a barrage of objections indicating not putting the wretched building in the park? Perhaps the 'Friends of Victoria Park' could organise a campaign.
why not email all of them continually with a barrage of objections indicating not putting the wretched building in the park?
Is the correct answer to this 'It would be pointless because most of those who are keen on this appalling scheme (including Messrs Carter and Jones and most of the latter's tory henchpersons) don't live in Newbury'? (I believe quite a few of the 'senior' Libdems are keen on the scheme as well, irrelevant though they may be these days.)
It's fascinating to see the discrepancy between the 'scrap the whole idea' and 'I can't think of a single reason why this might be a good idea' votes in my very unscientifically constructed poll questions! As things stand there are about 50% more people who think the scheme should be scrapped than there are people who can't think of a good reason for going ahead with it. What larks!
What is the Newbury Society's position on this, incidentally? Does anyone know? Allegedly all the local voluntary and charity organisations live in fear of the Greenham Common Trust and some are saying that the trust are rather keen to build on the park. Is there any truth in this? It seems absurd if so. I hope that these are just malicious rumours and someone will straighten things out asap.
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