| Topic: | Re:Re:Re:Re:High Street Urban Design - Look and feel of the street scene | |
| Posted by: | Nigel Moore | |
| Date/Time: | 17/05/07 13:26:00 |
| As to the overall document – a monumental achievement well deserving of congratulations. I do have some serious reservations over the suggestions on flood plain resolutions. As to the visual attempt to demonstrate a viable realisation of the document’s content, - truly ghastly. I now understand more clearly the views of those who suggested that we ought not to be attempting to do the developers’ work for them. This has turned out to be a step too far, and predominantly because of the attempt to create a ‘commercially realistic’ scheme that takes as a baseline the over-inflated price paid for the site then tries to accommodate as much as possible of the community vision into it. No reflection on Chris, but the result demonstrates the awful incompatibility between the vision the developer had to have when purchasing, and the vision held by the community. My immediate response is to say let the community vision stand as documented, and let the developer attempt to resolve his own problems in rising to the challenge of meeting it. And why, might I ask, does the ‘community vision’ as drawn, no longer contain an operable boatyard? Duncan – you have acutely listed the ‘drivers’ in correct order; the gaps between them will be large, the gaps between 2 & 3 the largest. The first is a natural given. The second is less likely if only because Ballymore’s ‘flagships’ are centred in the east end. That’s not to say that they will not be looking, in any of their developments, to produce something they can be proud of in their own lights. For an idea of their style visit http://www.ballymore.co.uk/site/ba_frameset.php (for the Pan Peninsula, docklands development). For an idea of their target market (wealthy singles) see http://www.ballymore.co.uk/site/ba_print.php?press_id=69 http://www.ballymore.co.uk/file_uploaded/bally_press_release_83.pdf From the above, you may learn sufficient to answer your own question as to the likelihood of them coming up with a design solution matching our requirements. Having recognised that however, the Council's position has now clarified and strengthened, and no developer can afford to dismiss the results of several years public consultation. The draft BAAP contains also, at least two references to this Community Vision project as a resource of which any developer must take cognisance. Tonight's the night if you wish to add your bit at the IBAC monitoring meeting. |