Letter: Planning Life is Not Straightforward

Published on: 30 Sep, 2018
Updated on: 29 Sep, 2018

From Caroline Reeves

Lib Dem borough councillor for Friary & St Nicolas

In response to: Topping Out of Riverside Building Celebrated – But Does Not Receive Universal Approval

I was surprised to be asked to comment on what is obviously an unfinished site and felt it was like being asked to judge a person’s appearance based on their skeleton.

The images accompanied a press release for the tradition of “topping out” when the top of a building has been constructed and don’t reflect the final built form. Of course red skeletons look inappropriate.

Cllr Parker and others are absolutely right, this land could have been used for housing. Unfortunately planning life is not that straightforward. There is a long history attached to this site, in fact after the original outline office development was granted, the developer wanted to amend the application to be used for housing or retirement living but the Environment Agency objected because of the flooding issues.

The site was previously a mixed use development of warehouse and offices in need of major refurbishment which suffered from serious flooding a few winters ago. It sits next to an existing office development and the Arriva bus garage.

As for more housing in the town centre on brownfield sites, permission has been granted for 320 homes in the two town centre wards of Holy Trinity and Friary & St Nicolas in the three years up to the end of 2017.

This does not include the numbers in Solum train station development, the North Street redevelopment and the current potential of 1,000 units in Walnut Tree Close.

The applications on Walnut Tree Close will improve the views from the towpath as well as contributing to the mitigation of flooding in the town centre.

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