twowheelsgood

"Hereford Futures is to be formally round up as its purpose is now ended." I never cease to be amazed about how ill informed some councillors appear to be. The adopted ESG Masterplan, voted on by councillors, laid out a timetable, as below, and its clear how little has been achieved by the various incarnations of ESG companies and subsequently Hereford Futures. The time scale of 25 years has never been mentioned to the best of my knowledge. In fact we should be well into 3/5ths of the project by now. Hereford Futures was scaled down last June, the offices were closed and it effectively finished. They said at the time "The Council will see through the remaining elements in the development programme, including the construction of the planned Link Road and Urban Village by using in-house expertise and resources. Jonathan Bretherton, CEO of Futures will remain through to next spring to oversee the completion of the Old Market scheme and support the council on various projects including the marketing of the Urban Village and the Link Road CPO." The registered office of Futures is at Bretherton's home at Ledbury. The last accounts, from 12 months ago, show a deficit of some £15k. In the early days, West Midlands Advantage paid for some £5m of property in Hereford, inc Blueschool House and Franklin Barnes. This was transferred to Hfd Futures when WMA was wound up. So, with Hfd Futures on the way out, and with nothing in the kitty, where has the £5m of property gone? I assume transferred to the Council, which is why the move to sell off Franklin Barnes and move the info point, yet again, this time, irony of ironies, to the Library. "Ever get the feeling you've been cheated?" - John Lydon. Phasing (from the ESG Masterplan) The following diagrams show how the Masterplan could evolve from the present position into the final end result. A precondition is off-site works to the west of the City to provide for relocation of the Livestock Market and flooding works. On the site, five phases have been identified. As with any major planned redevelopment, the phases will overlap, and are highly likely to change in response to changing market conditions. The timescales identified are on the basis of a commencement of works on site in 2009 (year 1). Initial off-site enabling works • Undertake strategic flood mitigation scheme at Credenhill to River Wye (corridor under consideration) • Construct new Livestock Market site incorporating potential alternative flood mitigation measures. Relocation of livestock market and strategic flood mitigation scheme Phase 1, years 2010 to 2012 • Commence Station Approach redevelopment • Construction of link road including land assembly and clearance (route options under consideration between A-B) • Land assembly and construction of new car park for Royal Mail, to south west of existing Royal Mail building • Establish pedestrian connection between railway station and Blackfriars • Widemarsh Brook diversion - route options under consideration • Initial works at Station Square and transport hub • Streetscaping to Widemarsh Street Building the link roads and starting redevelopment at Station Approach Phase 2, years 2011 to 2014 • Commence Blackfriars Urban Village construction • Commence Canal Park • Downgrade inner ring road and construct link to Coningsby Street • Commence development of the Catherine Street area, allowing relocation of the Info Centre from Garrick House • Commence Retail Quarter construction • HUFC Meadow End redevelopment Urban Village commences in the north of the area. Retail Quarter development commences, linking the old and new by downgrading Newmarket/Blueschool Street Phase 3, commencing year 2013 • Retail Quarter opens • Development of potential Hereford University site at Blackfriars Street (A) • Redevelop remainder of HUFC • Refurbishment of Blackfriars precinct With the completion of the Retail Quarter, development continues at Blackfriars Street and at the Urban Village. Phase 4, timetable developed with partners • Continued development of Catherine Street area • Continued phased development of Blackfriars Urban Village Catherine Street and Urban Village areas continue to be developed Phase 5, timetable developed with partners • Blackfriars Urban Village and Canal Park completed • Final works at Station Square and transport hub, including commercial development

I can't believe these don't have a link to a remote control room somewhere, even if only a dumb link to indicate they're not working properly.

I recall you saying the SCOOT system was going to be updated as part of the pinch point works - I take it this hasn't been done then?

If we've been paying £50k a year for something that hasn't worked for 10 years, then its excessively high!

The lights at Commercial Sq seem to have gone a bit odd today - I've been through that junction several times today westbound, and vehicles were still pouring in from Commercial St when they were on green for me (I know this junction is notorious for red light jumpers and yellow box huggers, but this was ridiculous).

Not directly - but the income stream from car parking, which we're told will go to the council, won't be there.

It's wait and see - this is a private development (albeit massively subsidised by public money) - they have no obligation to inform us of anything. Indeed, they are even giving Mr Bowley a hard time on his OLM site.

If you mean the OLM, PR spin says Easter. Which is only 10.5 weeks away. Some or all of it may not be finished by then, we'll just to wait and see.

http://repaircafe.org

With the council's continuing and expensive failure to produce a 5 year housing plan, it's open season for developers - all they have to do is demonstrate that the development is that dread word 'sustainable' and be next to existing development and they've complied with the NPPF - bingo - they're quids in. Councillors need to keep asking why the forward planning department is failing us.

The Council have for as long as I can remember held fast to maintain the 'Tupsley ridge' clear of housing as you enter the City. Perhaps if Bovis offer them enough money, they'll give in. Lets hope not. That said, I'm not sure where this site is, but its obviously on that slope somewhere.

It’s a speculative pe It’s a speculative development by a London based property developer.

But to what end? Who benefits?

The council have commented on their facebook site that in fact these two positions are short term contracts, with holiday entitlement! So, in fact, the real cost will be considerably more, as the council will be paying employers contributions as well as holiday pay and all the other little perks. I'm sick of hearing ' the best people for the job' mantra - if we had them, we wouldn't be in the mess we're in. They're just taking the money and taking the ...

The forthcoming plethora of Debenhams signs (14 of 'em) will no doubt attempt to hide the efflorescence. At up to 14m x 2.2m, they should be effective at that if nothing else. They'll be internally illuminated to to add salt (ha) to the wound - despite a planning ban on all such signs in the City.

It was recommended for approval to committee, subject to resolution of outstanding issues raised by the Environment Agency. I assume it was passed at committee, but planning permission has yet to be issued.

Its Balfour Beatty. Please log it via fixmystreet.com, sit back and wait ... and wait. They’ll do nothing, other than take the money, but it will be independently logged. If you report it to either the council or BB, they just bin it - that's a fact. It’s a scandal our councillors slept walked into and will do nothing about. We have no option but to pay council tax to fund a private business and shareholder bonuses with little in return. We're talking £1.6m a month here, so its not peanuts! Pointless contacting Cllr Hubbard, its not his ward. Its not just Roman Road, it’s the whole city, the whole county. NO routine maintenance is done anymore - it was abandoned when Amey took over and someone thought reactive maintenance was the way to go, probably because they would make more money that way. As a result, the county's biggest financial asset, its 4000 miles of roads, valued at £100's of millions (I'll find the exact figure) is grossly neglected, at the tipping point of being irretrievable without huge investment, which of course we no longer have. Its about time councillors bucked up their ideas and started asking awkward questions, but I won't hold my breath on that one.

My 37Mb fibre with BT runs at £18pm (inc evening and weekend calls) and that gives me 40GB which is enough, just. I work from home and, as Biomech, couldn't survive on a slow speed - even 5Mb was a struggle. If I lived in the country, I'd find a way of getting it, I wouldn't expect or rely on the council to sort it. A dish at £25 seems good value - especially as it should give you 20Mb - whats the problem?

I'm in the City with a rock solid 37Mb fibre optic connection that hasn't varied or dropped once since it was connected 14 months ago, so it can be done. I said at the time Jarvis was carping on about the Council spending £10m to get better broadband that I couldn't see what it had got to do with the Council - leave it to market forces. My view hasn't changed, in fact, in light of cutbacks left, right and centre there is even more of a case not to be involved. Do you know we're paying senior officers for jaunts to Europe for meetings about broadband? BT on their own are bad enough, add this Council into the mix and nothing is ever going to happen. Its for central Government and private business to sort - this Council needs to get back to basics and start digging us of the total mess we're in.

Can't help but think its a solution looking for a problem - as Biomech says, its just a junction, like any other. The more they tinker, the worse it will get.

But it's well known that Herefordians have no idea how to use a roundabout!

Would that the Council work so fast! Nah, this has been on the drawing board for yonks. It looks uninspiring, adding to the patchwork of fragmented reactive solutions to traffic management throughout the City in a typically disjointed manner. A box ticking exercise if you like.

Earlier schemes for high density (40+) units in an innovative and very green design were refused. A subsequent mediocre design for 14 flats over 5 storeys (which blocked long views of St Nicholas Church) was approved. This application seeks to increase numbers and add another storey in a similar mediocre style - and still blocking the views - note that it is 'designed' by a former local Planing Officer!

There used to be a city centre manager, but I think she's gone. I'll make some enquiries.

Which is where? The marketing website oldmarkethereford.co.uk is out of date.