Planners talk about swimming pool and student flats in Worcester (From Worcester News)
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Planners talk about swimming pool and student flats in Worcester
2:55pm Thursday 24th January 2013 in News By Tom Edwards
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- A meeting of Worcester City Council planning committee is under way at the Guildhall.
- They are discussing plans for a new swimming pool in the city.
- And a crackdown on student flats.
- Our reporter Tom Edwards is covering the meeting live.
- Join the debate.
- Leave a comment at the end of this story.
- Tweet @tomedwardswn.
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4:45pm
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4:38pm
@tomedwardsWN thanks for planning committee updates should have all south worcs committees covered in this way
— @Katelar1979 24 January 2013
4:37pm
@tomedwardsWN excellent coverage of today's Planning meeting.I agree with @LynnDenham1-students not the problem but their housing often is!
— @JoySquires 24 January 2013
4:26pm
Proposals for a new £13m swimming pool in Worcester have been given the first official thumbs up from the city's planning committee
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
4:21pm
The swimming pool outline application is backed unanimously
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
4:21pm
@top_brummie_cat it's going to cost, that's for sure....
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
4:21pm
We are on the verge of wrapping up and it looks like the application will be backed by everyone
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
4:20pm
He says "the citizens of Worcester will be paying for it for years to come" so it must be right
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
4:10pm
Cllr Aubrey Tarbuck says the swimming pool has "got to be a commercially viable proposition" given the costs
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
4:09pm
The tip is by the existing pool site for those unfamiliar with the location
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
4:09pm
Cllr Paul Denham there is a "danger" in exiting the tip and wanting to turn right
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
4:06pm
He says it will be surveyed in the spring to see what it's like
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
4:06pm
Bob Pender, from the county's highways team says there is no proper figures on traffic to Bilford Road tip - which is an issue
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
4:00pm
Paul O'Connor says it will be looked at
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
3:59pm
Geoff Williams also says the location of the play ground needs to be looked at again because it's right next to the car park in the plan..
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
3:59pm
She is told the plans "are indicative" and it could potentially be changed - I use the word 'potentially' loosely
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
3:58pm
"I think you should talk to some mums and some kids," she says. "I cannot see the logic for moving it at all"
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
3:58pm
Coun Denham says she is not happy with proposals to move the play ground so it sits "between a car park and a building"
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
3:58pm
He is told a bat survey has to be done by law, but Coun Amos says "the law is an ass"
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
3:57pm
There we have it, a debate about a new city swimming pool and we are onto comparing bats with rats
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
3:57pm
Coun Amos, in a moment of comedy genius, calls bats "flying rats" - and questions the need for a bat survey on the site
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
3:57pm
Let's not forget people can walk, cycle or get the bus, right?
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
3:56pm
He is told under sustainable transport policy 415 spaces is actually an "over supply"
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
3:56pm
He says we should want more people to come and it's likely they will be driving to the centre
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
3:56pm
3:29pm Thu 24 Jan 13
Thechopster says
Has David Tibbutt actually been round St Johns lately? Loud music, screeching girls, rubbish all over the place as the students can't work out that it's black bin one week, green the other. Both my husband and his brother and neice have all had their cars vandalised in the early hours of the morning after 'Student Night'. I know of at least 4 families in my street or adjoining street that have moved as they cannot cope with living by students and we are one of those families. That area of St Johns used to be such a lovely area but 'normal' residents are being driven away and it is turning into a ghetto. This needs addressing sooner rather than later.
3:56pm
Coun Alan Amos says 415 parking spaces is not enough and that the council has a "funny attitude" to it - "people won't come" without more
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
3:52pm
He is told a bat survey has to be done by law, but Coun Amos says "the law is an ass"
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
3:52pm
There we have it, a debate about a new city swimming pool and we are onto comparing bats with rats
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
3:51pm
Coun Amos, in a moment of comedy genius, calls bats "flying rats" - and questions the need for a bat survey on the site
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
3:49pm
Let's not forget people can walk, cycle or get the bus, right?
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
3:49pm
He is told under sustainable transport policy 415 spaces is actually an "over supply"
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
3:48pm
He says we should want more people to come and it's likely they will be driving to the centre
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
3:46pm
Coun Alan Amos says 415 parking spaces is not enough and that the council has a "funny attitude" to it - "people won't come" without more
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
3:43pm
She is then told there WILL be improvements made to cycling provision
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
3:42pm
Coun Pat Agar says she thinks a "cycle network" should be considered as part of the plan
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
3:41pm
To reiterate this is an outline planning application over a new £13m swimming pool for Worcester
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
3:35pm
It's worth saying there will be NO sports hall under the expected final plan - largely because of the Worcester Arena in Hylton Road...
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
3:34pm
The pool plan includes 45 cycle spaces, and three bus parking spaces as they expect it to host county level swimming - top notch!
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
3:33pm
Soft play area, crèche, party room and meeting room as well as a gym, exercise studios and dry changing rooms
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
3:33pm
It is expected to house a 25 metre outline pool, learner pool, confidence water for toddlers, wet changing area, viewing gallery, cafe, mf
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
3:32pm
It will be on land next to Perdiswell Leisure Centre, which will be demolished under the plan
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
3:32pm
The application is for 415 parking spaces and a main two storey swimming pool site with a sweeping roof
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
3:28pm
This is an outline planning application, and if approved today will require a detailed planning application to be submitted with more detail
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
3:28pm
We are not starting the debate over a new £13m swimming pool in Worcester
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
3:27pm
Geoff Williams sums up and the committee agree to send it to the decision making cabinet next month
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
3:25pm
Derek Prodger says when HMOs are occupied by students you often get "12 cars" trying to grab four parking spaces
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
3:21pm
He also says he welcomes the step but planning "won't control competing housing needs in the city"
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
3:21pm
Paul Denham says "there is a demand for more family housing as there is not enough"
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
3:21pm
Paul O'Connor says he recognises there is an "important role" students play and the benefits they bring to the city
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
3:20pm
She says students "are tomorrow's primary school teachers and nurses" and says the report wording makes assumptions about their nature
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
3:20pm
Cllr Lyn Denham says the change could have a "significant impact" on the city but sticks up for students
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
3:14pm
Paul O'Connor says too many HMOs in one area "erodes" the character of it
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
3:14pm
Chris Cawthorne says on a "daily basis" she sees family homes become student flats and Worcester "can't afford" it to carry on in St Johns
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
3:13pm
There are 41 streets in Worcester where up to 18 per cent are occupied by students
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
3:09pm
There are 10 streets where up to 41 per cent of properties are student flats or other HMOs
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
3:08pm
Cllr David Tibbutt says the numbers of HMOs in certain parts of the city are "horrifying" but says there's no evidence of it causing trouble
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
3:01pm
Paul O'Connor says the council will "not be the first authority" to go down this route on student flats crackdown in concentrated areas
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
3:00pm
Cllr David Wilkinson says it appears to be "a common sense move"
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
3:00pm
Paul O'Connor says it will come into affect from the summer of 2014 and be "city wide"
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
3:00pm
He says character of parts of the city are "being eroded"
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
3:00pm
Paul O'Connor, head of planning tells the room there are "concentrations" of HMOs in areas like St John's and Bedwardine
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
2:59pm
Geoff Williams, chairman of the committee, says it is about more than just students
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
2:58pm
It won't affect just students, but any house in multiple occupation, known as HMOs
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
2:58pm
We're straight into it and debating the crackdown on student flats
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
2:57pm
We're straight into it and debating the crackdown on student flats
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
2:57pm
They are debating a proposed £13m swimming pool for Worcester and a crackdown on student flats springing up in the city
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
2:56pm
Worcester City Council planning committee meeting about to start at the Guildhall - live coverage here
— @tomedwardsWN 24 January 2013
Comments(1)
Thechopster
says...
3:29pm Thu 24 Jan 13
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