Letter to the Editor - J.W. Forster - TrustNews August 2009
Dear Sir,
I was interested to read the article "Learning from Brighton "(Judith Martin; Trust News; June 2009). The problem with private developers in the Brighton New England Quarter is indeed a cautionary tale but one wonders if the ecohome location together with the lack of parking would deter those who might be interested in this kind of development.
However, the incorporation of private development into civic schemes, whatever its dangers, is not without merit, as I am sure Judith Martin is well aware. Without the sale of land for commercial use some local authority building would not be financially viable. The magnet of commercial attraction also serves to increase the use of civic amenities included in the development.
The Jubilee Library set in Jubilee square is very much the star of modern architectural development in Brighton. Both inside and out it is an impressive building; so impressive that I, at first, failed to notice the pizza parlour! I'm informed that the architects who designed the square also included the planting of trees which Brighton and Hove council rejected. Some say that this rejection was due to fear of legal action if someone should climb and fall! Others that trees would reduce the space needed for large displays.
I first visited Jubilee Square on a very hot day. When I entered the cool library there was no one in the heat of the square, not even on the designer benches. Trees would give shade to the square, add variety and shadow to the planes of the square floor and to its buildings while the reduction of display space would be minimal. Trees, dear Brighton, as well as houses, are "eco"; and trees had they existed, might also have disguised the neon pizza-parlour advertisement which so distracted Judith Martin!
One thing we can learn from Brighton is that we need more urban trees!
Yours
J. W. Forster, 1 Edgar Road, Winchester; 5023 9SJ