- Target:
- Herefordshire Council
- Region:
- United Kingdom
- Website:
- www.itsourcity.org
The Retail Quarter & the related link road on the Edgar Street Grid development are likely to do untold damage to Hereford’s historic city centre and many existing businesses. We already have too many empty shops with many locally owned retailers struggling to survive.
What are we campaigning for?
We are calling on Herefordshire Council & ESG Ltd to suspend the current proposals for retail development on the cattle market and the related link road.
Why are we campaigning now?
Herefordshire Council has just agreed to sign a development agreement with ESG Ltd and Stanhope (the developers of the retail quarter) to deliver the retail quarter on a 250 year lease. We believe that whatever the original merits of the scheme, the recent credit crunch and the fundamental changes in retail no longer make the scheme desirable or viable.
Is there anything good about the ESG development?
Yes, the proposals for affordable housing, leisure development, the university, and many other aspects of the project could bring prosperity to Hereford, but we believe any retail development should be concentrated in the historic core of our city centre. We want a fully integrated city centre with the big shops helping to support all the little shops which bring vibrancy and interest to High Town.
Is there enough space in Hereford’s historic centre?
Yes, redevelopment of the Maylord Shopping Centre, Chadds department store’s old site and the area behind the Green Dragon would easily provide enough large units to bring these much needed “anchor” stores into our city centre.
What about the link road?
We believe the new link road could cause traffic chaos in key areas in the city and it runs through the premises of lots of locally owned businesses representing hundreds of city jobs. Forcing them to relocate puts these jobs in jeopardy. If the retail development was earmarked for our historic city centre, there would be no need to “downgrade” the inner ring road leaving all of these successful businesses alone.
SIGN THE PETITION NOW!
We, the undersigned, call on Herefordshire Council to suspend the current proposals for retail development on the cattle market and the related link road.
We believe that whatever the original merits of such proposals, the economic crisis has fundamentally altered what is possible and what is desirable.
We call on the Council to urgently examine regeneration measures that will enhance the historic core of the city; support and enhance existing businesses; promote urgently needed, affordable and sustainable housing; improve public transport and the public realm; provide new and imaginative civic amenities; and encourage new leisure facilities, particularly for younger citizens.
You can further help this campaign by sponsoring it
The It's Our City petition to Herefordshire Council was written by It's Our City and is in the category City & Town Planning at GoPetition.