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Chairman's Jottings - TrustNews Dec 15

I recently attended the Civic Voice AGM in Bristol with John Beveridge. This is an intensive two days spent at workshops (e.g.on planning, Historic England presentation, grants, the problems of the impact on historic cities of new housing schemes) to indicate just some of what was on offer.

However, the most important spin off from attending such a conference is meeting with members of other Civic Societies and discussing mutual problems. These Civic Societies come from all over England, from places as disparate as Sheffield, a large city based on its industrial past, to Winchester, a comparatively small city with an historic core set in soft down-land. The one thing common to everyone was concern over vehicle movement, congestion and the problems being caused by not addressing the problem. Perhaps this is as a result of being unable to find a solution, as it is such a bone of contention fought over by just about every local organisation, and therefore too hot to touch?

The first day started with tours to various parts of Bristol. I selected the iconic Bristol Suspension Bridge. It was designed by a twenty-two year old lsambard Brunei, after winning a competition against rivals including Thomas Telford who had just completed the suspension bridge across the Menai Straights in North Wales. When you look at it in detail you realise why it is considered such a feat of engineering. It is over 200ft high to start with, one tower built on rock and the other tower relying on a hollow stone buttress with internal arches built up from river level. The bridge still partly relies on tolls to keep it functioning. If for any reason it is shut, then the back-up traffic affects the centre of Bristol. Brunel certainly did not anticipate the use it gets today!

On the subject of vehicle congestion, it is self evident that there are problems in Winchester, particularly at major junctions such as City Road/Andover Road, North Walls/Jewry Street and St George's Street/Jewry Street and Southgate Street. The problems are apparent today, so what is going to happen as the City grows in population by over 25%? The City is also expanding in the centre with the development of Silver Hill and Station Approach as well as expansion taking place on the outside edge. It would be good to see aspirations from the responsible authorities towards delivering a city which is a joy to walk around and not marred by fumes and dense traffic movement. Ben Hamilton-Baillie gave a glimpse of what could be at his recent lecture to our AGM, and perhaps we should examine his suggestions more closely.

l understand that the so-called Casson block in St George‘s Street is to be refurbished. There are mixed feelings towards this building. It has been badly treated over the years, with little maintenance, and that which has been carried out is of an indifferent quality. I think with flair and sensitivity the building could be hugely improved. The building was designed and built in the early sixties, the architects being Casson Conder and Partners, and very much reflects the thinking of the time. lt was only designed 12-13 years after the war, at a time when there was rationing of building materials. It was also the time of the ‘brave new world’ with planners (and the public) wishing to wash away inconvenient aspects of, in our case, the medieval street pattern and then widening the roads to allow for anticipated traffic expansion! St George's Street indicates some of this thinking, buildings being taken down to make way for a widened road. The building is set back from the road at the top of a slope of granite cobbles. The cobbles could be from a London Street, for they were being ripped up and sold at this time. The building itself has a vertical grain expressed via exposed structural elements, fashionable in the 1960s. Maybe it is austere without any decoration, other than the structural elements, but it does reflect a slice of our history at a time when we were still picking ourselves up from a devastating war. Why the ramp that cuts across the forecourt, in particular the appalling handrail — first of all, does anybody ever use the ramp? if not, then reinstate the cobbles; if so, then detail the ramp and handrail properly and with consideration.

Keith Leaman