Design Competition for Town Centre

Despite the Leader of the Council saying at the recent Cabinet and Scrutiny meetings the Government has cut the council's finances by £150m they now announce a major to change to the look of the High Street. Where is the joined up thinking? If there is no money then wasting it on a competition that is meaningless is just an insult to residents.

With a threat of a 29 storey block of flats and the felling of 81 mature lime trees and a reduced Town Square the Councillors must be living in a parallel universe! Save Our Square campaign already have various designs for improving the Town Centre and they start by not felling 81 trees and not building skyscrapers in a largely Victorian 2 storey area.

The competition states:

The Rosebank Villas route into the High Street has been chosen for the project which should:

• Celebrate the history of the High Street and Market and reflect local character of place
• Strengthen local identity, create a destination and a sense of arrival
• Be deliverable and robust, and self-sufficient in terms of maintenance
• Include innovative place-making which improves connectivity and navigation to the High Street
• Enhance the space for businesses, residents and visitors alike

If Capital & Regional's finance director decides to go ahead with their awful scheme this area will be a building site for over 5 years so what is the point of squandering public money on tarting up this area? The Wood Street Plaza had a hugely expensive face lift which lasted about 2 years before it was all dug up and will remain a building site for many years. Is there no joined up thinking in the Town Hall these days?

WF Guardian

Can you design the future look of the High Street?

Hightide Festival