Council bosses unveil bigger Telford Town Park bid
Tuesday 21st September 2010, 11:29AM BST.
Plans have been unveiled to make Telford Town Park bigger as part of a £250 million bid to transform the Southwater area of the town.
A report has been drafted by Telford & Wrekin Council chiefs recommending the boundaries are extended to include The Arena and an area of allotments, so an entrance can be created to the beauty spot from the planned new Southwater shopping centre.
Bosses say they are committed to protecting the allotments and want to continue holding live open-air events in The Arena.
Councillor Steve Bentley, cabinet member for active lifestyles at the council, said: “Telford Town Park is a core element of our vision to create a vibrant town centre and we’re keen to make sure it is easily accessible from the Southwater area and shopping centre so that residents and visitors can enjoy this beautiful green space at the heart of Telford.”
Engineering and other groundwork is expected to start in December to clear the Southwater site ahead of the development, which will include new shops, bars, cafes, restaurants, offices and homes.
The report will be considered by the authority’s ruling cabinet on September 28.
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What? T&W Council are spending more money? Where’s it all coming from? Oh, I forgot, the elections are just round the corner…
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The fact is areas like the arena are already pat of the Town Park.
The Town ark has 2 boudaries,
1.The actual boundary that outlines the Town Parks edges
2.The 2nd is aolitical boundary that allowed the park to shrink to allow for development within the actual park boudaries.
They are trying to make it seem they are doing us a big favour, when the council is actually giving us back what we already own.
They are gerry mongering with the boudaries – again.
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Don’t worry! Vote Labour and they’ll… errr… sell the park off, in accordance with the plans they made last time they were in power! Ooh… err! Surely that can’t be right, can it??
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The Tories are continuing with the former plans that Labour created and are handing back areas that have
1.Been heavily campaigned for to save
or
2.Cannot be built on
That cannot be right can it?
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“The Tories are continuing with the former plans that Labour created”
….correct!!
After the 2007 council elections the new Tory-led administration announced a review and public consultation of the former Labour council’s plans for the Town Park. I attended the one about the Arena, where we were told that “Option One” (keep the Arena as it is) was not viable and therefore would not be considered.
The alterations to the Town Park boundary, removing a huge area to the west of Hinkshay Road and the frontages of Stirchley Lane and Stirchley Road for housing development were retained.
Can someone please tell me what difference it makes to users of the Park whether or not the Randlay allotments are included within the park boundary? – they’re allotments and are only accessible to allotment holders – hardly what you regard as public open space.
What saddens me about this whole affair is how little real difference it makes whichever party is in power – the officers still seem to be the ones who really call the tune.
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Please tell us more about the allotments. Which site is involved and what is the significance of including them in the boundary of the town park.
If they are not included is there a threat to their future from some source?
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They’re the ones on Randlay Avenue, on the high ground to the east of the Blue Pool.
The only significance I can think of is that it allows the council to say that they are adding to the park, without actually doing anything. They might have well have said that they’re going to add the Randlay and Stirchley housing estates.
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Ok am I thick or does something not add up here. The Council want to grow/redevelop an area that is meant for GREEN public use by building office blocks, restaurants, houses, a hotel and shops. Telford Shopping Centre is right next door to the town park, has been for donkey’s and already provides all of the above and is also extending its offering to include more of the above. So why are the council creating a duplication??!! Could this ‘private investment’ be a quick and easy way to justify building a new civic office during a time they have to make public funding cuts? And also, as they are still cutting jobs, will many be left to work in the office they plan to build or will they fit in a portacabin? This all seems very suspicious to me!
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Blimy, ive only just got my allotment up there! Ive spent alot of time and money doing my allotment up.
I rang planning yesterday and they say the allotments will not be affected, the entrance they are talking about is the lorry park just before the allotment entrance.
god i hope they are right!
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