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Get up-to-date news from Save Wells. Please also sign our e-petition.
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Wednesday, 27 February 2008 |
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Centros presented their latest proposal to the Mendip District Council Community Partnership meeting at Wells Town Hall on Tuesday 26th february.This was an opportunity for Members of the Partnership and the public to provide Centros with verbal feedback on its revised proposals. Save Wells Chairman Tony Everard drew applause from the well attended meeting when he responded to the presentation. Tony asked councillors how they could possibly make a judgement affecting the future of the Historic City of Wells from just one plan from one developer? The plan before councillors showed retail development of well over 100.000 sq. ft which is more than double that already within the City centre and far in excess of need, it is known from research elsewhere that the effects on existing traders can be catastrophic.The developer states that shoppers will be attracted to 'big names' on the proposed new shops but most people tell us that they do not want the same shops as can be found in every other town in the country. Wells is unique, and should be treated as such. Save Wells Association is by no means opposed to the regeneration of the area involved, and would welcome some retail inclusion but shops are not the only need in the City, and this is possibly the only opportunity to look at what else could be provided. If the developer has his way nothing else can be provided for a hundred years or more. If this plan goes through the developer will beneficially own the land and almost all the buildings, that will enable them as landlords to control all matters concerning retailing in the City. Alternatives are possible and Save Wells firmly believes that all options should be pursued. If that takes say, two or three years, what is that in the lifetime of the City? Most of the councillors and members of the public present said that the proposals had not satisfied their concerns about the scope and appearance of the development. Many of those in attendance echoed Tony's Points, including Cllr Rob Read, who said: "Why are we only dealing with Centros Miller?" Councillors said that the plans would affect the city for generations, and it was vitally important to get them right, particularly for a city with a heritage as important as that of Wells. Cllr John Osman said that were he a teacher he would have given the original plans an F grade, and that while the new proposals were an improvement, they did not go far enough. He said: "We are getting there, but we still have a way to go. These are grade C plans for an A-star city." The other councillors agreed, and asked Centros Miller to look again at the plans and come back with revised proposals..
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Saturday, 08 March 2008 |
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The Centros revised proposal still includes a massive retail development in the heart of Wells. Shepton Mallet Town Centre today is showing signs of decay as a result of its recent new and controversial retail park. |
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Read more...
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Wednesday, 30 January 2008 |
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Centros Miller have just revealed their revised masterplan which no longer includes Tesco as part of the development proposal. Save Wells are in the process of formulating a response to the "revised" plans. Watch this space! See Plan Here Let us know your views? Have your say in the forum. |
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Thursday, 13 December 2007 |
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Mendip District Council have issued their first official response to the proposals... The Joint Technical Officer response to the initial concept plan. Read Full Report Here The report was revealed to councillors at a meeting of Mendip's cabinet committee on November 12th. The Princes Road area, subject to redevelopment investigation, includes Council owned land and capital generating amenities. Should redevelopment proposals progress, the Council will need to consider its financial options and any development agreement concerning this land The response reflects joint officer opinion in the Council's capacity as a facilitator of economic development and as a landowner. The Council owns the site of the Princes Road car park, the bus and coach station and the land and premises occupied by the Wells Film Centre."
The views are not those of Local Planning Authority because at this concept stage, the Council has not been engaged formally in that role. Nevertheless the Council's development control section has been involved in discussion about the proposal and has contributed to the corporate technical officer response. The response forms part of a process agreed with Centros Miller to inform their production of a draft masterplan for the subsequent consideration of Members of the Cabinet. |
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Read more...
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Wednesday, 17 October 2007 |
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Tincknell's premises could become home to a new Sainsbury's supermarket.
Will Wells benefit from more supermarket competition? Is this a better location for a new supermarket? Visit the forum and have your say
An exhibition of the plans was held at the Swan Hotel in Sadler Street on Friday January 18 and Saturday January 19th. |
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Friday, 09 November 2007 |
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A petition organised by SAVE WELLS attracted a total of 3,777 signatures from people protesting against the development concepts for Wells put forward by Centros Miller. On the 9th of November the petition was presented to Mendip District Council, with a copy to the Mayor of Wells by Save Wells Chairman Tony Everard
The petition read: We, the undersigned, reject the Centros-Miller development proposal for the Princes Road area of Wells as inappropriate for the medieval City of Wells. We petition Mendip District Councillors to vote to reject it, and to undertake a wider consultation on community enhancing development that is more appropriate to the City's needs. The majority of petitioners came from Wells and the surrounding villages, but a significant number of people have visited Wells as tourists, or have connections with the City, from as far afield as America and Australia. The first phase of the SAVE WELLS campaign was highly successful. From the first packed meeting in the Town Hall to the presentation of the petition, thousands of people have voiced their objections not only to the general development concepts set out by Centros Miller, but also to a number of specific issues. These included: - The proposed closure of Princes Road.
- Ownership of such a large area of Wells by a development company.
- The high proportion of retail outlets, which people fear will have a detrimental effect on the High Street, as has happened elsewhere with Centros Miller development.
- The expansion of Tesco beyond that given in planning permission.
- The moving of the recently refurbished bus station.
A large number of volunteers were involved with both, and SAVE WELLS is grateful for the time and energy they gave.
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Wednesday, 17 October 2007 |
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 Following a presentation given by Mendip District Council's Malcolm Williams, Civic Society members voted overwhelmingly to reject the current proposals, and to call for a more limited, sensitive development. This is exactly what Save Wells stands for, and we welcome their decision. Their full press release follows:...
Wells Civic Society’s members demand new plans for Princes Road area.
Whilst a packed meeting of Wells Civic Society’s members overwhelmingly rejected Centros Miller’s current proposals for redeveloping the Princes Road area, there was an equal level of support for sympathetic regeneration of the area.
A record turnout of 97 members (over 40% of the membership) attended a meeting to hear Malcolm Williams (Mendip District Council’s Director of Community & Regeneration) explain the council’s three separate functions in relation to the development site: as a land owner, as the planning authority and as the facilitator of economic regeneration. The presentation made it clear that at this stage, the Council was only involved in its capacity as the regeneration facilitator.
Following a full and lively discussion, the Society’s members were asked to vote on key points.
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