Imperial Gardens railings receives mixed reception
RAILINGS should only be put up around a historic Cheltenham park if they are historically accurate, according to members of the town's Civic Society.
Members have said there is little point in reinstalling the metal barriers around Imperial Garden unless they are the same as the ones taken down during the Second World War.
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FLASHBACK: The original iron railings stand around Imperial Gardens
The call comes after borough council planning officers said the height of the railings had to be much shorter than the originals.
An amendment has been put in by charity Friends of Imperial Square Heritage and Conservation (Fishac) to change the planning permission granted to them last year to put up the railings.
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Planners at Cheltenham Borough Council agreed then to allow the charity to put them up, but since have asked the applicants to reconsider the size.
The original plans were for 1.8m high railings, although the amendment means they cannot be taller than 1.5m.
Vice-chairman of Cheltenham Civic Society, Douglas Ogle, said he wanted to make sure the railings would be historically accurate.
He said: "I see no point in reinstating the railing unless they were done historically as they were.
"I think it is important that it is done right. If we are going to reconstruct it, it should be as accurate as possible."
Last week, other members of the group gave mixed views on the amendment.
A report by the group said: "Some of us thought the proposed reduction in height of the railings was a good thing, and would make them fit in better with other railings around the Promenade.
"Others of us thought that historical accuracy was important – the railings should be restored to the exact status qu."
Bob Keevil, chairman of Fishac, said: "The borough council asked us to go back to the plans and look at them again.
"We've done what we can do and we've done it with a historical specialist.
"What we wanted to do was to make sure it was acceptable to the people of Cheltenham in this historical context, and also to the planners, following their advice and request."
4 Comments
by tykelip
Tuesday, March 12 2013, 12:35PM
“Why would anyone want to turn this public space back into a cage?
Put me down as a Namby (Not Around My Back Yard).”
by eyeopener
Tuesday, March 12 2013, 11:05AM
“They say God moves in mysterious ways his wonders to perform. It looks like there is an exception to that rule and the council planning officers do as well.
Everyone else who applies for planning permission for a listed building is made to restore appearances to how they were. However when it suits.......... These officers adopt a different rule.”
by a_calm_voice
Tuesday, March 12 2013, 10:32AM
“A daft idea, Imperial Gardens is a pleasant open space. Keep it open!
Fortunately the world has moved on from buttoned-up Victorian times, why can't the Friends of Imperial Square?”
by Matt1006
Tuesday, March 12 2013, 8:30AM
“So CBC have asked for the railings to be 1.5m high, and not 1.8m as originally proposed by Fishac. If the PP granted last year shows the railings at 1.8m, then too bad for CBC - if they want lower railings, they should have asked for the amendment whilst the application was still being determined, and not now, after they've granted permission.
It's not clear whether the amendment now submitted by Fishac purely relates to the height of the railings, or for some other aspect which has then triggered CBC's request for the height change as well.
But I do agree that the railings should certainly be "in keeping" with the location (and not a cheap modern hash-up), and should look like the old railings, both in terms of their overall appearance / style, and therefore also their height. So the simple question is - what height were the old railings???”