Monday, March 28, 2016

Locarno plan lays bare the perils and chances from Swindon's history and future

Steve Rosier's determination to get the Locarno 'done' deserves praise.

This blog remembers well the highly frustrating attitude councillors had to the previous proposal to the site with them deciding when it came to the crunch that it was too tall for them.

That then led onto the threat to demolish the building from the owners to push councillors to figure out their attitude towards it once and for all.

Of course, even before it got to that stage, there were the two fires before then and before that, years of it being empty.

As Mr Rosier has said, the car parking at the Lawns plan is just one of a number of options being explored to make the redevelopment viable. We'll look forward to all the plans being made public soon so we can look through and see them for ourselves (and the Lib Dems who had no details).

The Locarno plan will be a real test for Swindon Borough Council's planning department and the relevant councillors. They will have a difficult time raising objections to a plan which is working with a planning brief that SBC agreed on back in 2013.

The story of Old Town traders in support of the Locarno does raise the evergreen subject of Old Town deeming itself worthy of special treatment when it comes to planning in comparison to the rest of the town and borough. Mr Talikowski calls for Old Town to have it's own masterplan. Old Town already has it's own section of the Swindon Masterplan (study area 5, page 177).

If we go down the route of sectioning off areas of town - the town centre, the Outlet and Old Town, we simply reinforce the entrenched view and attitude that an area has nothing to offer or complement the other and the nearly two centuries old turf war between Old Town and New Town continues.

For every mid to high end independent business in Old Town there are three in New Town. They might not all be high end and most may not be mid-range, but they're doing a thriving business paying far less rent than some of those up on the hill and reaping the rewards from their cheaper prices.

There are frequent and fast bus services up and down the hill, maybe a cultural exchange is needed between and Old and New Town?

And no, it's not 1841, but in some ways, it still feels like it is.


Sunday, March 27, 2016

Top Ten Things Overheard On Swindon's Buses Last Week ; 310

Click here for the original at this brilliant idea, here's our own version for Swindon's buses from last week.

10. I never thought I'd see the day when you'd admit that not only were you wrong, but also stupid.

9. All you do all the time is lie there.

8. I know why Davis thinks it's a bad idea, but I can't tell anyone, because then they'll know that he knows.

7. Fancy seeing you here, it's quite a posh bus to what you're use to isn't it?

6. They're having a conservatory put in, which is odd, as I thought they already had a conservatory put in last year, can you get them extended?

5. It's all gone down hill since they put that light-controlled junction in.

4. Just think what could be achieved with the right attitude and just a little bit of money.

3. I had noticed the way that she looks at him, it's so common.

2. For all the world you'd think that it was a secret of nuclear proportions, we're just going to throw a surprise party for them, no need for all this cloak and dagger stuff.

And the number one overheard phrase on Swindon's buses from last week is...

1. Well as you're aware, grandad is black.

Overheard something we've missed? Then let us know.

Lawns, Locarno and Lib Dems

The tiny party of Lib Dems in Swindon appear to be fighting back from extinction with a good meaty topic - possible building of car parking spaces on the Lawns for the Locarno development.

However, far from filling with information, the Lid Dems have missed most of the meat from the bones of the story.

The proposed Locarno redevelopment includes, as most developments in Swindon have, a problem with car parking. One of the numerous possible options being explored is building some spaces on the Lawns. The Lib Dems give no further details of this plan, or of the others, but urge residents to make their opinions felt in the form of an online survey. This survey gives no further options, information, or facts about that plan or the alternatives.

This is the same Lib Dems who seem to miss the boat on planning matters as a point of course. Witness the campaigning on the crossing at Regent Circus (once it was finished), and the printing in leaflets of the wish to see the old Swindon College building turned into an art gallery (despite it being approved for other uses and the council favouring a site near the Wyvern). The Lib Dems were also surprised at a demolition at the rear of the building (the surprise was also expressed by the Civic Voice) which was part of the approved planning application.

Expect more heat being generated by the Swindon Lib Dems in the run-up to May, but as for light, there's only a few of them, so don't expect them to have enough bodies to turn both handles at once.

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Top Ten Things Overheard On Swindon's Buses Last Week ; 309

Click here for the original at this brilliant idea, here's our own version for Swindon's buses from last week.

10. I nearly got taken out by a bag for life.

9. If they were in tighter formation, it wouldn't be as much of an issue.

8. There's no culture there, they've only got a TK Maxx and a coffee shop.

7. It's no clever if Mary thinks she's some sort of saint at every possible opportunity.

6. Oh my god, did you get that Snapchat, worth more than all the money I've got in my pockets.

5. How much did you pay him for that weed?

4. These clothes are the best example I have of smart casual.

3. When he gets on let's give him a big round of applause.

2. My day started so many hours ago I'm no sure what day it is now.

And the number one overheard phrase on Swindon's buses from last week is...

1. If she puts her hands on me at all I shan't be responsible for slapping her across her face.

Overheard something we've missed? Then let us know.

Tuesday, March 15, 2016

The Height Of Stupidity

If you're going to have a conflict of interest you might as well make it as big as possible with 2 full pages in a newspaper, 14 storeys of a tower block and a plan that has enraged an entire district of Swindon.

The Swindon Advertiser story on the hope-to-be-but-now-shelved development of the Adver offices on Victoria Road is easily the worst proposed development for Old Town in a generation.

The highlights included plonking a 14 storey tower block of flats within a few hundred years of Christ Church spire, blocks of flats that take no account of the local area's materials or character and a basic misunderstanding that Old Town is the "poor neighbour" of New Town.

Surprisingly, the developer has now withdrawn the plan and will go back to the drawing board. What's more surprising is that the Adver have given the full details of the shelving and have restated that they exist to report the news in a balanced and fair way. Journalistic integrity!

What would William Morris make of it?

Let's hope the revised plans are not simply something low-rise but equally out-of-character to the tower plan.

Sunday, March 13, 2016

Top Ten Things Overheard On Swindon's Buses Last Week ; 308

Click here for the original at this brilliant idea, here's our own version for Swindon's buses from last week.

10. I'm not going to drop everything just because you have a shower and say we're now going out.'

9. It can wait until tomorrow, nobody's going to notice that it's gone missing.

8. Keeping it inside his trousers is about as likely as me getting back to my 1992 weight.

7. Groundbreaking, no, it's just a sandwich.

6. That calculation is not what you'll get in the upper set in maths.

5. There's no possibility that the evening shift will just leave, is there?

4. Draw your own views, but they came into work holding hands yesterday.

3. Without the new automation system the place will close.

2. Mum, when I spoke to him he got air through me, air through me.

And the number one overheard phrase on Swindon's buses from last week is...

1. She's got some stupid idea about keeping all the stock stored offsite at a lockup, when head office hear, because I'm going to dob her in, she'll be out on her ear and I'll be your new manager.

Overheard something we've missed? Then let us know.

Sunday, March 06, 2016

Top Ten Things Overheard On Swindon's Buses Last Week ; 307

Click here for the original at this brilliant idea, here's our own version for Swindon's buses from last week.

10. Worse of all there was Sue.

9. Can you remember who your gas supplier is?

8. They came to the door and I said the owner of the property was the Bank of China.

7. Our neighbour keeps coming and going at all hours, I'm not convinced there's not something strange going on.

6. The garden hasn't been touch for so long I can't see the rabbit hutch any more.

5. I say I'm an only child, I know I've got my brother, but please don't remind me.

4. Closure is not necessarily as easy as we might think.

3. I can supervise a huge event like that.

2. Try grabbing it with your leg and shoving it over to the side of the room.

And the number one overheard phrase on Swindon's buses from last week is...

1. It's far scarier, they made him wear denim and denim and he's never stopped raving about it.

Overheard something we've missed? Then let us know.