Proposed Cheltenham town centre redevelopment recommended for approval by planning bosses

“Looks as though they have left the supermarket to provide toilet facilities instead of providing a a public toilet.”

“So it seems that whilst the Planning Officer (and presumably the Planning team in general) think the proposals are acceptable, the bulk of formal consultees think they aren't. Which also seems to be the general view of Joe Public.

I agree that the area needs investment & redevelopment, but it certainly does not warrant a supermarket as part of the scheme, of any size. Totally unnecessary. The original proposals included a hotel (again, unnecessary), and this has been dropped from the formal application, but the developers seem to think there is call for a supermarket, despite apparently not having an operator on-board yet. Won't be a Tesco or Sainsbury as they already have (or are currently creating) town centre shops. Won't be ASDA, Lidl, Aldi, Morrisons or Waitrose (already elsewhere in the town). So perhaps a Spar, or a Nisa, but they are also present in the town. So which supermarket will take it on...?

I also wonder about how much more gridlock the scheme will create in the vicinity, both during construction and then once fully occupied.

Ultimately it is going down to a vote amongst the members of the Planning Committee, once the application has been presented and debated at committee next Thursday. Most (if not all) of the committee members will have made their mind up before the meeting next week even starts - anybody's guess which way they'll collectively vote. Whatever the outcome, a lot of people won't be happy.”

“Cheltenham Civic Society, The Architects Panel, English Heritage and the Conservation and Heritage Manager all think the scheme is fundamentally flawed. So why would Mr Martin Chandler the Planning Office recommend approval? The people of Cheltenham deserve better!
The task Force must go back to the drawing board or we will regret this for many, many years.”

“TiG reported on the congestion around the Brewery a few weeks ago. CBC have re-instated the congestion after temporarily easing it. Now it's their chance to make it worse again....nothing like a success story....and this is nothing like a success story!”

“Cheltenham Betrayed should have been written ten years ago. It is published now in an attempt to expose what has been done to one of the three most beautiful urban areas of Britain. Hollowed out by car-parks, spiked by a tower block of vandalistic profile, its Regency villas desecrated or demolished, Cheltenham is a living indictment of planning procedures and a disturbing testimony to the philistinism of local government.

Timothy Mowl's account of Cheltenham's disgraceful recent history will set alarm bells ringing and recriminations flying. After disturbing reminders of what has been lost, he attacks the well-intentioned but wholly misguided pavement politics of the town's Civic leaders. Finally, by focussing on those very few recent buildings that have been designed in sensitive and imaginative awareness of Cheltenham's native classical tradition, he urges an end to that soulless steel and glass modernism which is making towns and cities all over the western world indistinguishable from one another - a treason of architects in the grip of cost-cutting accountants.”

“Read CHELTENHAM BETRAYED by Timothy Mowl.....

Cheltenham Betrayed should have been written ten years ago. It is published now in an attempt to expose what has been done to one of the three most beautiful urban areas of Britain. Hollowed out by car-parks, spiked by a tower block of vandalistic profile, its Regency villas desecrated or demolished, Cheltenham is a living indictment of planning procedures and a disturbing testimony to the philistinism of local government.

Timothy Mowl's account of Cheltenham's disgraceful recent history will set alarm bells ringing and recriminations flying. After disturbing reminders of what has been lost, he attacks the well-intentioned but wholly misguided pavement politics of the town's Civic leaders. Finally, by focussing on those very few recent buildings that have been designed in sensitive and imaginative awareness of Cheltenham's native classical tradition, he urges an end to that soulless steel and glass modernism which is making towns and cities all over the western world indistinguishable from one another - a treason of architects in the grip of cost-cutting accountants.”

“http://tinyurl.com/cbpcs6t”

“http://tinyurl.com/cbpcs6t”

“Or even third line!”

“Oh dear, I edited my second line but forgot to take out the last couple of words. Many apologies.”