Thursday, February 14, 2008

Holt Road Housing Focus Group

An interesting meeting on Monday night where we learnt more about the plans to do up the fronts of the properties on Holt Road as part of the retail strategy.

I think it will make a real difference in this run-down area. There will also be some tree planting, new pavements and a general sprucing up. Residents lead the process, working on the design plans with BCA landscapes.

We also got an update on the Gilead Street development where Lovells are building houses and flats for rent, sale and shared equity, particularly for those people who have been uprooted by the Edge Lane CPOs.

I was extremely disappointed though to learn that the promised path between the reservoir site - and the GPs and the library - and the Holt Road neighbourhood will not now go ahead because the people who check developments for crime pinch points have established that such a path would create an ASB hot spot.

I am quite sure that they are right, and that they are right not to authorise it, and I am grateful for their involvement in ensuring that we dont build crime into our developments.

But I am deeply sorry on behalf of those residents who have been promised such a path for years and who will have to walk all the way round the top of the site by going up Holt Road and along Kensington or will have to walk round the bottom by the school to get to their community facilities.

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