Topic: | Re:Re:Gunnersbury Park - What if..... | |
Posted by: | Alistair Milward | |
Date/Time: | 26/04/13 14:33:00 |
Thank you Bela. I wonder whether you read another contribution I added to another thread. Indeed if you ask the people who know its what was there originally that would have been worth saving. A single grand mansion in the Palladian style that was equivalent in importance and architecture to Chiswick House. I am led to believe anyway. And as you say it pays to come out and say what needs to be said - heresy or not. The problem as many see it is that if the councils keep their hands in their pockets and do nothing and the "investors" are dissuaded from coming in because of the covenant issues then there is this rather embarrassing stalemate where nothing happens and we get scaffolding put up around the houses with notices saying "danger keep out - unsafe structure!!" And the only winner is the person who sold/hired out the scaffolding. There is commerce in the park already but would there be a case for more of it? If the developers don't get their hands on it under the enabling development planning loophole then how does one fund a project as big as this? Or as I said, should it be funded at all? I think that there is a legal remedy available to transfer the park into the care of trust but (a) it might be expensive and (b) there needs to be more cohesion as regards the park's future. Mayor Boris got the Royal parks into a right froth when he suggested that they "work" for their upkeep. People were harrumphing about turning them into "Theme Parks" and other ghastly ideas. The point about earning is a fair one though given that the alternative source of funding in council tax contributions is pared to the bone, the lottery needs to be paid back its billions spent on the olympics, and everyone else is very strapped. It's that dire combination that gets the developers licking their lips. So what would the preservationists the status quo group be prepared to accept in this regard? Thank you and regards |