Stafford renewed?

[Sofa]

Following on from posts in "in the Stafford news" regarding the exhibition in Market Square, I felt the need to start a new thread on the subject of the planned developments in the town centre, because I have to say that I find it all very worrying.

New "retail" developments at Riverside, Kingsmead, the Civic Centre and Tipping Street, so that will be at least the equivalent to another (empty) Guildhall's worth of space, if not two; Nine new bars and restaurants on Mill Bank, in the Civic Centre, Riverside, and a 6 screen cinema to treble the number of screens in the town. Alongside this huge increase in "retail" capacity there are plans for five hundred what can only be expected to be shoe-box sized but mansion-priced "apartments". Can we expect there to be a mandatory requirement for anyone moving into the new flats to take jobs in the new offices and spend their income in the new shops, bars, restaurants and cinemas? If not, how is Stafford ever going to be anything other than a planning disaster full of homes nobody can afford, empty offices and unused "retail" space.

It is probably all too late to change any of this happening. Can't we have a council that doesn't keep on falling for the big developers patter?

According to the "Stafford renewed" leaflet, the Tipping Street development will "create a new wave of economic activity, job creation and prosperity, redefining the town centre's sense of self". Oh, really? Surely it will only create a new round of bumper profits for developers, fat bonuses for their executives and redefine their sense of smugness at being able to get away with this sort of grand-scale con.

Within this leaflet there is not one single word about the social or cultural l impact of these developments, but there are plenty of references to "private sector economic acumen", "adding yet more energy to the economic boom" and "further regeneration and investment". The only mention of green considerations is on the page about plans Kingsmead car park, where it says that the development will "have to meet the highest aesthetic and environmental standards", so that's alright, then, isn't it.

One thing is for sure - we must make the most of this town and enjoy it for what it is before it turns into one, huge, empty shopping centre. Oh, and there is one other thing which is for sure - let's get some other people involved in planning our town's future, eh?

 

[tek-monkey]

We have too many shops sitting empty, why do we need more? There are lots of things Stafford needs, and this isn't it.

 

[henryscat]

The other aspect is that the massive increase in car parking capacity will generate more traffic and congestion, which is the last thing that Stafford needs.

The only mention of green considerations is on the page about plans Kingsmead car park, where it says that the development will "have to meet the highest aesthetic and environmental standards", so that's alright, then, isn't it.

 

[My Name is URL]

Agree with all of the above.... not seen this leaflet, where did you get it from....

Is it Stafford BC or Staffordshire CC that are planning this, because it must be a bunch of morons whoever it is.... keep on building, but who gives a fcuk about the congestion and sh*te infrastructure, who cares about the natural and social environment in Stafford (which attracted me here in the first place)....

Where is Kingsmead and Tipping Street?

 

[My Name is URL]

Found it....

http://www.staffordbc.gov.uk/static/Documents/Stafford-Renewed.pdf

A friend of mine mentioned something about building on the marshes opposite sainsburys??? Since that is not in the link above, I assume she has god confused somewhere along the line.....

Looking at the above, I actually think most of it could be good for stafford - especially like the rooftop park on the Kingsmead carpark - suppose thats just the artists way of making it look better than a big grey ugly thing....

Seriously though, Stafford needs to grow and I would rather they (finally) build on St Georges park and kingsmead carpark than on anywhere green.... which is what I had heard.

The concern is just the traffic as I can see it, but I am sure there will be other concerns that I haven't thought of.

 

[Scuttlingb]

We need a park and ride from both ends of the motorway and at the top of the Cannock Road then ban cars from the town centre. Turn one of the car parks into a bus station and Bob's you auntie's live in lover

Just my opinion!

 

[tek-monkey]

More shops = bad when we have empty ones. More pubs is a bit of a strange one. We have lots, they're closing down all the time, but if they can make a few designed around the smoking ban they'll be laughing. As far as I can see thats the main prob lately, nowhere to smoke so people drink somewhere else. As for congestion, what we REALLY need is a decent link between the two motorway junctions for when the idiots crash on the M6. Stick a road through baswich, link to the fire station bit of road, laughing. Will never happen though.

 

[My Name is URL]

I vote for a Junction 13A onto the M6 off the Newport Road, would mean that I and lots of others who wanted to get on the motorway didn't have to drive through town every morning and clog up the town centre.....

Park and ride sounds a good idea in theory... coming from Chester where they have loads of park and rides, might be good but not if parking in town centre is cheap and the p&r busses get stuck in the same traffic the cars do....

Agree about the current empty shops tek-monkey.

 

[Mrs M]

Following on from posts in "in the Stafford news" regarding the exhibition in Market Square, I felt the need to start a new thread on the subject of the planned developments in the town centre, because I have to say that I find it all very worrying.

New "retail" developments at Riverside, Kingsmead, the Civic Centre and Tipping Street, so that will be at least the equivalent to another (empty) Guildhall's worth of space, if not two; Nine new bars and restaurants on Mill Bank, in the Civic Centre, Riverside, and a 6 screen cinema to treble the number of screens in the town. Alongside this huge increase in "retail" capacity there are plans for five hundred what can only be expected to be shoe-box sized but mansion-priced "apartments". Can we expect there to be a mandatory requirement for anyone moving into the new flats to take jobs in the new offices and spend their income in the new shops, bars, restaurants and cinemas? If not, how is Stafford ever going to be anything other than a planning disaster full of homes nobody can afford, empty offices and unused "retail" space.

It is probably all too late to change any of this happening. Can't we have a council that doesn't keep on falling for the big developers patter?

According to the "Stafford renewed" leaflet, the Tipping Street development will "create a new wave of economic activity, job creation and prosperity, redefining the town centre's sense of self". Oh, really? Surely it will only create a new round of bumper profits for developers, fat bonuses for their executives and redefine their sense of smugness at being able to get away with this sort of grand-scale con.

Within this leaflet there is not one single word about the social or cultural l impact of these developments, but there are plenty of references to "private sector economic acumen", "adding yet more energy to the economic boom" and "further regeneration and investment". The only mention of green considerations is on the page about plans Kingsmead car park, where it says that the development will "have to meet the highest aesthetic and environmental standards", so that's alright, then, isn't it.

One thing is for sure - we must make the most of this town and enjoy it for what it is before it turns into one, huge, empty shopping centre. Oh, and there is one other thing which is for sure - let's get some other people involved in planning our town's future, eh?

I would have loved to have got on my soap box and ranted and raved about my feelings on this master plan by the borough council,but how can I follow on from an accurate and factual account of the state of things to come (spot on sofa). If we are talking about regeneration surely we should be trying to get industry interested in bringing their companies into the Borough with more than minimum wage jobs on offer.

by the way according to the borough members I met today all the closed shops are down to the national crisis and the borough is standing below average at over 94% occupancy of shops on the highstreet. My husband says 99% of statistics are made up on the spot but I think it's closer to 98% myself

 

[ToriRat]

What I love most about Stafford is its small county town feel, if all these proposed bits and bobs get crammed in it will loose its charms becoming a homogenised "McTown"(tm). So many nice towns make this mistake equating bigger with better when really it would make more sense to get what they already have working properly. Shops are closing, bars come and go faster than a lap dancers knickers, and they think we need more?

Tx

 

[henryscat]

Exactly the same is happening in Lichfield. Nice historic city which is being progressively more ruined by shite new developments that will do nothing for the character of the city. By the time the new Birmingham Road development is completed (with new 750 space car park replacing a 400 space one) and Tesco have demolished their store along with Focus DIY and built a Tesco Extra, the whole place is going to grind to a standstill. The Three Spires Shopping Centre built several years back when TJ Hughes moved in is just nasty. Other historic cities around the place haven't let their centres be obliterated in the way that Lichfield has. Then there's the proposed Curborough "eco" town...

What I love most about Stafford is its small county town feel, if all these proposed bits and bobs get crammed in it will loose its charms becoming a homogenised "McTown"(tm). So many nice towns make this mistake equating bigger with better when really it would make more sense to get what they already have working properly. Shops are closing, bars come and go faster than a lap dancers knickers, and they think we need more?

Tx

 

[Wormella]

I'm in 2 minds about this, I did pop along to the Exhibition and it was worth it.

Some bit I fully agree on, sorting out Riverside and pedestrianizing Bridge Street to make it feel like part of te town center, not some random bit at the end will be great.

Not sure on the Tipping Street / Kingsmead development bit but I understand Staffords want to develop and grow and I'd hate fror this money, earmarked for the development of Stafford, to go elsewhere. I'm just glad it all focussed on the town center, and not on out of town developments.

I did feel sorry for some poor guys at the exhibition who had given up a Saturday only to be berated by angry women.

 

[gon2seed]

Don't agree with what I am about to write but I will put an arguement for development:

Stafford underdeveloped for years. Loses out to other places nearby because of lack of decent shopping.

Appropriate development, including a large department store and decent cinema, will attract more people to shop in Stafford, and therefore halt the slide into ghost town status that is evident to us all. Until we get the major shops, we won't attract shoppers and visitors in. If we make the the Town a destination people want to visit, then the investment will pay dividends for the businesses already here. Staying still is not an option. We lose out to Birmingham, Wolverhampton, & Hanley, and to a lesser extent Stone, and Burton. The latter, much smaller than Stafford has far superior shopping!

We need to attract the money that is evident around Stafford, in the affluent towns and villages, to be spent here! Even the poorer brethren from Stoke, Cannock, Rugeley and the like could be tolerated if they were willing to spend their giro's.

Without the investment Stafford, will continue it's slip into a slumber from whence it will never awake. Might have some nice flowers in the summer, but if you want to buy anything in the town, you had better make sure it is either a coffee, or something from a charity shop!

Did I convince you? Flippin' 'eck, I nearly convinced myself!

 

[darben]

I went to have a look.

Stafford needs investment and needs improvement but the logic behind the planning seems somewhat archaic.

The architecture proposed in the planning seems altogether poor, work places shops and college looked like concrete blocks with fancy pieces added on as an afterthought. The accomodation proposed is tiny barrack style two/one bedroom flats which i was patronisingly told that they would be too expensive for ordinary people to afford and what people want to buy (they were obviously all on holiday when it was on the news that these kind of flats have become a bit passe and are no longer selling. It also feels like there will be a transient population of 1st time buyers who will move away as soon as they have children or just simply want somewhere with a bit more space, there appears to be little or no accomodation being proposed that will accomodate family living, no park/play areas etc etc generally not people focused which I think is a crying shame as personally i think that is what the town is crying out for.

The whole exercise would have been much better done if they had done this tent thing before everything was decided and the people who live in the town could have put in some really constructive ideas / input. It all feels a bit too late now and a bit of a PR stunt.

Please no more faux victorian housing and concrete structures that will look naff in 5 years time. By all means look at the past but learn from the beautiful buildings not copy the distasters of the 70's Please Please lets have a bit of interesting architecture that makes the town worth a visit with a makes for an even stronger sense of pride and community.

Also, One Thing I've always thought would make the town look much better if the building Mcdonalds is housed in was knocked down and made into a small open space it would really show off the whole of St Mary's the high house etc.. I'm sure Mcdonalds could happily move to one of the many empty shops dotted around the place, and Stafford would look much the better for it.

 

[tek-monkey]

gon2seed - Annoyingly I see your point. Still crap though!

darben - knocking down McDonalds is a great idea! Not sure they could give a damn about the town though. As for living in shoe boxes, yeah thats what we all want. Last time I looked there were still flats near the back end of zanzibar available though, and of course the ones near the prison? Admittedly I'd rather live near the old tesco than the fire exits of a crap nightclub or facing a huge prison wall, but given the choice I'd much prefer a real house. Hell, if I was really greedy maybe even a garden, and walls I couldn't knock down by farting.

I'm not really sure these will appeal to first time buyers though, if they're priced higher than 'ordinary people can afford' and are essentially a small box in a much bigger box, containing a cinema and a bar, who the hell would really want to live there? In a city I can understand people living in this sort of flat (turns out the hacienda in manc is now flats), but why in stafford when we still have real houses?

I'd like to add an 'on the plus side' to this, but I can't. Looking at those plans gave me a laugh though, aren't those car parks they're redeveloping prone to flooding? The college building is a joke, the only one I can see coming of is the nice bit of the civic centre for the councilers to sit on, while laughing about how they've screwed us all over.

 

[ToriRat]

I think that kind of housing is aimed at capturing birmingham overspill.

There are lots of things that could be done to Stafford, improving it without killing its nature. many have been suggested here. Its just a shame that decisions are made by architecs and developers who dont actually have to live here and have nothing further on thier minds than the fast hard sell and then scarper to magaluf....
Tx

 

[expert]

Stafford struggles to get any investment as most funding goes to Stoke area (Something to do with Stafford not being an objective 2 area). I think we should welcome the investment but a lot of thought needs to go into reducing the traffic congestion and reducing the high street rents to ensure all the shops don't move to the shiny new building once it is built and leave the high street empty.

 

[gon2seed]

gon2seed - Annoyingly I see your point. Still crap though!

Not really my point. I just thought that someone coming on here and praising the plans was unlikely, so I thought I would try to introduce a semblance of balance, in a Devil's Advocate kinda way!

 

[darben]

I get the sinking feeling that its all been passed by the person who thought the christmas lights were attractive, (and possibly even secretly hates Stafford) is very powerful and every body is too scared to say no to and toadies around incase they loose their jobs in the next set of cuts. Hmm I wonder why the emporers new clothes story is starting to spring to mind!

 

[theflamingred]

I filled out the little comment card at the exhibition. I got the feeling it's all fated to got up the tube. I was standing there, worrying about the unfilled retail space already in existence, the fact that I have little to no chance of finding my kind of job in Stafford etc etc. At that point a ladybird hopped on to my feedback card and seriously - it took a poo. Tis a sign.

We should have a cultural quarter - like everywhere else (only kidding). Slightly more seriously thought - Wolves has the Civic buildings and puts on some huge bands / names / shows / sports. Brum has, well, everything. Development around the Gatehouse and cultural offerings would be great. I'd like to prioritise more leg room and comfier seats - cause every time I go to the Gatehouse I get a sore bottom.