Burnley's "knock it down - rebuild" philosophy

[Col.Kurtz]

What is it with the current fad of wanting to knock down existing houses, shops, leisure centres, schools and swimming pools to build very expensive new ones?

Burnley needs affordable housing as well as luxury city centre flats and townhouses and detatched "legoland" estates.

The developers want to knock down the shops on Curzon St to make way for their shopping centre - will these independant businesses be able to afford the rates asked for a unit on one of these shopping centres? I doubt it. We have lots of empty shop buildings already in the town centre.

What's wrong with the Thompson centre? it's not that old - taking up prime retail space perhaps? Room for another supermarket/DIY store/fast food outlet more like.

Why do we have to wipe the slate clean, start from scratch and rebuild the whole education provision in the town? Do you think these new schools will be any more efficient or last longer than the existing ones? I don't think so, more like the EA has money burning a hole in it's pocket and needs to spend it fast in order to get more money in the future.

There was a programme on tv recently called Restoration, where people were encouraged to vote for buildings to be restored to their former glory before they got past the point of repair. The winner of this was a victorian swimming baths in Manchester, a bit grander than our own Gannow baths, but no more interesting or characterful. We need public buildings like this to keep the identity of our town IMO, it is not a new phenomenon - people still miss the old covered market, which I understand was a fantastic building with an enviable range of shops.

Sorry I've gone on a bit, but I am just a bit confused!!

Town planners have always been like this. They knocked down the terraced houses to build high rise flats and then they knock down the flats for a builder to build more houses. Next week Church street will be closed on one side while they knock down St Peters car park. As you say other areas are preserving their heritage, what do we have other than Queen Street mill and the Weavers Triangle? The shops already here in Burnley have a struggle to stay open so will any other new ones find it an economically viable proposition or will they stay a short while and then move out leaving more empty shops? There is only a certain amount of money available in the town for consumer goods and new shops only take business away from the existing traders, not create more revenue. Modern buildings are nowhere near as rock solid as the old stone buildings of the past which are gradually disappearing from our town.
As for the schools it is madness to knock the buildings down, surely another use could be made of them for the benefit of the town.

[dellym]

I actually think knocking down SOME of the schools is a good idea...though i havent been in them all i do know that they are very old crumbly buildings that are very hard to maintain to current building regulations.

When the new schools are built and hopefully built in the right places they will be an asset to the town....course, that said more houses will have to be built again lol cos everyone'll wanna live here!!!

As for the new leisure centre...how long will it be open before theres an outbreak of legionaires disease? Anyone taking bets???

Now to the town centre shops...as a selfish individual, i look forward to the prospect of decent shops like Gap, Debenhams etc...im fed up of the "throwaway shops" of Burnley. Cant wait to see it!! ;)

The reason many shops go under in town is because we dont have many quality shops unlike other towns and cities so lots of people shop out of town. If the shops are here we will all shop here...hense businesses will do a roaring trade and we'll all be happy smiley Burnleyites!! :lol:

Delly, your optimism must please the planners, but I'm a cynic having heard the same promises before that haven't come to pass.

[Robert]

After reading some comments in the express about the proposed school for Padiham, Ightenhill and Stoneyholme, you really have to wonder what is going on. Cllr Doyle called it social engineering and people are going to feel like guinea pigs in an attempt to diversify the schools in Burnley and you have to wonder whether this new health centre thing on Church St is a similar ploy. I may appear cynical but I don't think Lancashire County Council are going about things the right way.

One wonders if the forms that go out to parents asking for them to state their preference for secondary schools are going to be abolished. That is the only way I can see this working, that children will be directed to the secondary school they are to attend with no imput from parents at all.
Another thing I noticed is that the special school that was to be built on Cherry Fold was missing from the plans.

[Mattylad]

Special school, cherry fold?
whats that & where?

There is a new school on cherry fold.

[dellym]

i read that leaflets about the plans had been sent to thousands of households? Whose household exactly?

It is to be built on the same site as the new school Matty and is supposed to be ready for Summer 2005. There was a report in the Express and it said there would be room for pupils from Pendle and Ribble Valley.

[jaseyboy]

i havnt recieved any plans.

[Mattylad]

Hmm, as a resident local to that school & Vice chairman of the local residents group, I have heard absolutely nothing about that!
Damn useless council.

BTW, what do you mean by "Special school" ??

We know that Hargher Clough is going to be turned into a "short stay school" (used to be called a referall school) where the excluded & bad kids get sent.

Special means pupils with special needs and those who are 'statemented'
It was reported in the Express last week or the week before if you keep old copies of the papers.