Landscape - TrustNews July 1991
The Landscape Committee has continued to pursue some of the projects mentioned in the February Newsletter. We discussed with the City Landscape Architect proposals for paving and improvements to the west end of the Wessex Hotel. We were informed then that money was not available for railings along the path that links Market lane with the Cathedral grounds, for a wall to screen the refuse bins, or for a barrier across the parking area. However the Trust wrote direct to Trust House Forte to ask if these items would be included whilst other work was being undertaken, and were very pleased to hear they have agreed to fund this work. The paving has been done and a good size Paulownia tree planted to replace the one that had to be felled.
St Bedes Court, Hyde which had an unrelieved large car parking yard to this new development and about which we wrote to the Chief Executive, has had some paving removed, a tree and shrubs planted and some wall climbers put in, which will help this area.
North Walls
The Skateboard Park which has been constructed near the Park Road entrance to the North Walls park looks like an industrial yard with high chainlink fencing and metal gates (below). It is even worse than we anticipated from the planning application. We objected, not to the provision of the skateboard park but to its siting. The grass area at the north end has also been fenced in which seems unnecessary. The Skateboard Park could have been a colourful and exciting feature if it had been properly sited and thought out. We are very disappointed this has gone ahead and ruined an area that we consider is badly in need of a comprehensive rehabilitation scheme to make better use of the water and for a wider range of people to enjoy.
We have attended presentations for several new developments including the acute mental illness unit at Melbury Lodge. The site is in the wooded hinterland between Romsey Road and Sleepers Hill and slopes steeply down to a level area where the proposed building is to go. The former Italianate villa having been demolished some years ago, and the trees have suffered from neglect and storm damage. We are concerned that the good trees are identified and protected and that the access road, service trenches and other ancillary works are routed to avoid root damage to trees worth preserving. We were assured this had been taken into account and new planting would be included in the scheme. We asked that trees be planted within the car park.
Following our comments in November at the presentation to the Trust of the New Records Office on the Carfax site, we had a meeting with the County Architects. We are concerned about their proposals for the car park, in particular the visually unsatisfactory slope towards the south east corner of the building and the effect on the Sussex Street/Gladstone Road frontages. We are also concerned at the poor protection for new trees and we feel the proposed laurel hedge on the Sussex Street side is inappropriate. We were informed that the County had decided to proceed with the scheme as presented, but since then the City Council has made strong objections and work has been suspended. We asked for more details, for discussion, of the hard and soft landscaping around the proposed building, and the lighting proposals for the public footpath through the site. We are concerned that planting on this site seems to be so temporary. Some of the Lime trees on the Sussex Street frontage have been moved to Orams Arbour, but it is Sussex Street that is badly in need of permanent trees.
The Landscape Committee obtained the plans for two bicycle routes into the City one from Kings Worthy and one from St Cross - and agreed with these. However the placing of cycle parking stands caused considerable concern. Those for the Cathedral approach from the Square were visually intrusive. Other stands proposed outside W H Smith we considered too large and would obstruct pedestrian access: this was also the case by Market Street for stands under cover. The committee hope to raise these points when discussing street furniture in general with the City Planners.
We have continued to press for improvements to the setting of the Library in Jewry Street and understand a meeting has taken place between the County Council and the City planners. We opposed the conversion of the old wooden Bus Shelter into a kiosk as we considered this should await a comprehensive scheme which should include the car park, street furniture, bottle bank etc. We consider the new bus shelter, which mars the view of the portico, telephone kiosk, proposed bicycle stands, far from satisfactory. There appears to be no co-ordinated scheme, or liaison between various departments. Additions to this area seem to appear overnight in an ad hoc fashion and it now looks very shabby.
The Development Control Committee has reported the recent joint meeting with the City Planners, but we would add that it was good to hear the whole central area of Winchester with regard to street furniture was to be looked at, and the high posts at the Guildhall end removed. We understand an overall scheme is being prepared (not before time; why after rather than before?) and that there will be a general improvement in the cleaning and maintenance of the High Street. We were also informed that four dog bins will be provided in the High Street, but their design and position have yet to be decided. We also requested that developers should submit their detailed landscape schemes for approval well in advance of contracts being placed and work starting on site, to avoid another 'Brooks' scheme happening again.
Among other ways of the Trust assisting the planners in improving the general appearance of the central area is by the Trust contacting owners/developers direct. This has proved successful already with, for example, the Wessex Hotel, mentioned above.