Donal OHanlon

Just been churning over in my head about what’s happened in the last few years, since we started getting rid of Labour Councillors in this area:

We consulted in depth about people’s wishes on “The Retreat”, and although we didn’t get exactly what we wanted, people were engaged, whether they had access to a computer or not.

We now have a “Developing Communities” group, working out the most effective ways to spend the little money we are given to maximise benefit to the people of Prestwich.

We have the Town Centre Regeneration Group, enhancing links between the people of Prestwich and the framework being developed to improve the area.

We really do speak to those who are interested in improving all aspects of Prestwich, and act upon the comments we hear back.

The one telling comment from last night’s Regeneration meeting (and I heard it several times from different people) was that the Councillors from Whitefield, Radcliffe & further north, really had NO IDEA how disastrous the “Radius” development would be. They thought it would be the catalyst for change, and it is just a “blot on the landscape” and has set us back, not forward.

What do people say to me about the Radius: 

The problem with the Radius is that it is totally out of keeping with the area. The problem is that the landlord can’t or won’t let the shops. The problem is that it blocks out the light to prevent greenery to grow in our town centre. The problem is that it perpetuates the “wind tunnel effect” (between the Library & the shops) that is so scary to the elderly. The problem is that it provides a free skate park for the kids, which annoys the hell out of the residents in the flats above. The problem is that it sits at the centre of a piece of land that needs regeneration, and any residents in the flats above can look forward to 5 years of building work & dust & dirt going on around their homes. The problem is that there are too few parking spaces. The problem is that the flats were mostly sold to the “buy to let” market, so there’s no permanent residents and no stability or neighbourliness.

So, given such comments, what should we do with it? Knock it down again? Make the most of a bad job? Complain to the developers?

The reality is, financially & legally, it would be difficult to knock it down. We’ll have to develop things around it that try to stop it looking such an eyesore, that detract your eyes away from it. Let’s hope that  the workshop last night will help to resolve the problem that is the “Radius”! If we continue to work with the people of Prestwich in the way that Labour forgot to do for so long, then the people of Prestwich will get what they want & deserve, which in my terms is, “The best, not just ‘better’!!”

Donal