Tough decisions ahead as city looks to revamp itself

12:30pm Sunday 3rd April 2011 in Future Worcester headlines

Tough decisions ahead as city looks to revamp itself Tough decisions ahead as city looks to revamp itself

PROPOSALS to revamp Worcester to build a city for the future are to be unveiled in May.

That is when ideas put together by urban regeneration specialists will be put out for consultation by Worcester City Council.

Civic and business leaders met at the University of Worcester’s City Campus to be given an update of how planning for Future Worcester is proceeding.

The council is drawing up a 30-year-plan to develop Worcester as a “bold, vibrant, first-rate cathedral and university city”.

Feedback from previous consultations suggests that people want a stronger shopping centre, better transport and improved housing and job choices.

But the city regeneration specialists who have been asked to come up with recommendations – David Lock Associates – warn that there are some tough decisions ahead.

They have already said that they think the city could make more of its cultural and historical heritage; that its transport system is constrained by the size of the population; and it has a “very odd” shortage of public squares and assembly places.

Priority is to make the city more attractive to live in, because that will bring the type of creative, committed people who can help build the city of the future.

Comments(20)

CJH says...
2:46pm Sun 3 Apr 11

Nothing will change until the 'dead wood' in the council has gone. The local elections are nearly upon us. Please do not vote for the usual time and money wasters just because 'we've always voted' Tory, or Labour or whatever...vote for the person you think can do the job and will work for US, the voters! Bedwardine are you listening?

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jb says...
3:05pm Sun 3 Apr 11

When will this council stop wasting time and money on these rediculous projects and start concentrating on sorting out the problems we have today? They are wasting money on this process which is of no practical use whatsoever, get a grip and stop wasting tax payers money!

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Maggie Would says...
3:14pm Sun 3 Apr 11

jb, setting aside this particualr circumstance, I have learned one thing in life: if you don't have a masterplan, with achievable targets, you will never get where you want to be.
(Sorry, that was a bit priggish, but it's true)

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Vigornian says...
5:13pm Sun 3 Apr 11

It looks as jb and CJD have got sight of the proposals before they are unveiled in May. I don't know how a judgement can be made until the proposals are made public, and even then, they are just proposals. A plan of any size, be it for a city , country or even a local business is vitally important if you're going to move forward, or even remain at a standard you are now. How do you think Worcester has grown over the past 800 years since it received its Royal Charter? If it was wasn't for the likes of Tudors, Georgians and Victorians who invested heavily in the city, this place would have been nothing more than your run of the mill county town. It seems the likes of jb are quite content for Worcester not to plan ahead as our predecessors had done, and it's only future will be that of a distant backwater where not very much happens. If he wants Worcester to be like that, it's going against everything that has been done before.

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CJH says...
5:25pm Sun 3 Apr 11

I didn't say we shouldn't plan ahead and develop - I said "Nothing will change until the 'dead wood' in the council has gone". And I firmly believe that. Some of them think it is 'their' city to play around with. It's not. It's OUR city, our money, our resources, our future.

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Vigornian says...
5:39pm Sun 3 Apr 11

CJH wrote:
I didn't say we shouldn't plan ahead and develop - I said "Nothing will change until the 'dead wood' in the council has gone". And I firmly believe that. Some of them think it is 'their' city to play around with. It's not. It's OUR city, our money, our resources, our future.
I'm bored now.

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CJH says...
5:59pm Sun 3 Apr 11

Poor Vigornian. Life should never be boring. It's such a waste.

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yeller says...
6:15pm Sun 3 Apr 11

I'm with CJH

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keeneye says...
6:34pm Sun 3 Apr 11

Vigornian if you didnt notice - we have not invested heavily in the city in recent times, if you havent noticed we are a backwater.
Quote:
" and it has a “very odd” shortage of public squares and assembly places"

The plans are yet to be seen - the action from the dead wood - is predictable. And you should be prepared to back your arguement up and not shy away "bored" more like "Apathy"

I think CJH has summed it up to a T - I CJH gets my vote.

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Vigornian says...
7:39pm Sun 3 Apr 11

keeneye wrote:
Vigornian if you didnt notice - we have not invested heavily in the city in recent times, if you havent noticed we are a backwater. Quote: " and it has a “very odd” shortage of public squares and assembly places" The plans are yet to be seen - the action from the dead wood - is predictable. And you should be prepared to back your arguement up and not shy away "bored" more like "Apathy" I think CJH has summed it up to a T - I CJH gets my vote.
Lowesmoor, Crowngate, University Campus, New Library, bus lanes, Bosch, Science Parks, Retail Parks ... I would say there's been a fair amount of investment. And I'm hoping for more to come.

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jb says...
8:59pm Sun 3 Apr 11

vigornian, I have no idea what these plans will contain and as yet no one does. As for having a masterplan, why bother? At this moment in time the council is making serious funding cuts through necessity, businesses are closing, services being lost and the face of the city is changing drastically. Thirty years ago do we think anyone could have predicted this? The council should concentrate their energy and resourses on sorting the city out now, let the dust settle for a couple of years and then begin to look forward.

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Sir Smeg says...
11:21pm Sun 3 Apr 11

"They have already said that they think the city could make more of its cultural and historical heritage"

This, after letting The Worcester Royal Porcelain go down the pan!
Second only to the cathedral as the biggest tourist attraction for Worcester.
How short sighted can anyone be?

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brooksider says...
12:30am Mon 4 Apr 11

How could the Council stop it?
Privatise it?

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CJH says...
12:45am Mon 4 Apr 11

You're right Brooksider - Royal Worcester were responsible for their own downfall I'm afraid. As for being a tourist attraction, I would question whether it's the second most popular place to visit, but the museum IS still there! Have you ever been Sir Smeg?

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drowningnotwaving says...
4:34pm Mon 4 Apr 11

Here we go again, the council have only one answer to economy and that is to build houses. Old world economics which will see more mortgage debt, more builders borrowing from banks, resulting in another banking bubble which will end in tears.
To ask business leaders and Uni spokes men a say will only result in self interest.
With the proliferation of charity shops and downgrading of shops to cheap clothing stores Worcester will become a student town with the residents communting to Birmingham every day to work.
Why also do we need a 20 yr plan? This makes it inflexible to changing situations.
Let Worcester grow naturally as and when to create a interesting City not a clone town

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Maggie Would says...
5:54pm Mon 4 Apr 11

drowningnotwaving wrote:
Here we go again, the council have only one answer to economy and that is to build houses. Old world economics which will see more mortgage debt, more builders borrowing from banks, resulting in another banking bubble which will end in tears.
To ask business leaders and Uni spokes men a say will only result in self interest.
With the proliferation of charity shops and downgrading of shops to cheap clothing stores Worcester will become a student town with the residents communting to Birmingham every day to work.
Why also do we need a 20 yr plan? This makes it inflexible to changing situations.
Let Worcester grow naturally as and when to create a interesting City not a clone town
Sigh. Everywhere should have a 20 year plan. And every person. And a 10 year plan, a 5 year plan and a 1 year plan. They are not cast in stone. Mine certainly aren't, but they are something to aim for. Otherwise, you just end up wallowing and achiving nothing.

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Maggie Would says...
7:09pm Mon 4 Apr 11

Is that achieving or archiving? Both are necessary at different times for different reasons.

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varien says...
5:47pm Wed 6 Apr 11

"The council is drawing up a 30-year-plan to develop Worcester as a “bold, vibrant, first-rate cathedral and university city”.

Feedback from previous consultations suggests that people want a stronger shopping centre, better transport and improved housing and job choices."

30-year plan?
I have a copy of a plan for Worcester titled "An outline development plan for the city of Worcester" by consultants Minoprio & Spencley.
The results of this plan was sweet FA (except for the M5).
Mind you this plan was drawn up and published in 1946 - 65 years ago.

Note: For those who have never seen or heard of this plan it makes interesting reading and should still be available at the library or History Centre. It comes complete with artists impressions and maps.

Note for Murray: This old plan could make an interesting article for the WN.
Mike Grundy and Mike Pryce should know about it.

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gemma6 says...
8:09pm Thu 7 Apr 11

Knock down the monstrosity that is the Travelodge , ex-Giffard Hotel and build something in keeping with the Cathedral and surrounding buildings.

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MR H Marks says...
11:36am Fri 8 Apr 11

Unfortunately until they built the giffard in the 1960s there was something quite wonderful already there, the original lych gate and street running all the way down to sidbury, who ever made the decision to knock that down should have been shot.

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