Colchester: North Station plans under public scrutiny (From Essex County Standard)

Colchester: North Station plans under public scrutiny

9:00am Saturday 16th May 2009

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Colchester residents have been giving their opinions on the development of the North Station area.

The borough council held a two-day exhibition last week to show locals a number of plans for the vicinity, which include the station itself, Cowdray Avenue and North Station Road.

Some of the suggestions on display at the town hall and the library included promoting a possible green link between Highwoods Country Park and Castle Park, as well as improving information at the station to orientate visitors to the town.

There are also plans to introduce an “urban village” to North Station Road, with a street cafe culture, trees and artistic lighting.

Many of the ideas are aimed at reducing congestion and improving pedestrian and cycling routes, while they also look at possible sites for redevelopment.

The proposals have been put together by consultanting companies Terence O'Rourke and Buro Happold on behalf of Colchester Council.

Darren Shorter, technical director for urban design from Terence O'Rourke, said: “We are trying to get people to think about making places, rather than specific things like roads and footpaths.

“We have identified key priorities for the future so that the council can later prepare a full planning document.

“People seem to have been quite pleased about what they have seen.”

However, Janet Morley from Booth Avenue was sceptical about the plans.

The 69-year-old said: “They are all right up to a point, but I don't think they will make much difference.

“The problem is that far too many houses have been built in the area but we haven't got the road infrastructure to deal with them.

“I feel very strongly about it as I have lived in the borough since 1966.

“It was a lovely old town then but it has been spoilt by people building on every scrap of land available.”

Adrian Bond, who was at the town hall with wife Anita and baby son Sam, believes that the priority for planners should be traffic in the North Station area.

The 36-year-old, who lives in Turner Rise, said: “There doesn't seem to be anything here to stop the problems on the three grid-locked roundabouts.

“On a good day my father-in-law can reach us from the other side of town in ten minutes but on a bad day it can take three quarters of a hour.”

Meanwhile, Michael Allen, 72, who lives in The Brackens in Highwoods, was concerned about the possibility of more office development in the area.

He said: “It says the vision for the area is to create a welcoming front door to the town from the station.

“But then it says there is a need to provide 40,000 sq m of new office floor space.

“I know they've got to provide it somewhere but how will it enhance the area and make it a welcoming front door to the town?”

However, 60-year-old Christine Loft from Cowdray Avenue was more positive about the plans.

She said: “I'm quite impressed that they are going to be doing something to North Station Road.

“And I like the idea of more street trees – a lot of beautiful trees have been cut down on my road which I was unhappy about.”

Public responses will be used in a supplementary planning document for the area which the council will use to guide future development and assess planning applications.

A more formal consultation on a draft document will be carried out in September or October.

To view the plans in detail, visit colchester.gov.uk/ldf

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