South Gloucestershire | Archive | 2006 | March | 10
From the archive, first published Friday 10th Mar 2006.
PLANS for a new library, offices and "anchor" retail store on a prime town centre site in Thornbury have been criticised by local conservation watchdogs.
The Concern for Thornbury group claims the designs for the proposed building on the current library site in St Mary Street fail to take account of the scheme's importance to the conservation area.
"Quite simply, without a proper analysis of the visual impact of the development upon external views in the conservation area, it will be impossible for the council to make the statutory assessment required," says the group in its formal submission to South Gloucestershire Council.
"The application cannot, therefore, be legitimately determined without this information.
The report says the design statement submitted by architects and commissioned by shopping centre operators Peer Group conspicuously fails to address the impact of the development on the character and appearance of the conservation area.
"In fact, quite breathtakingly the statement does not include even one instance of the phrase 'conservation area,'" says the group's report. "One must therefore conclude that the statutory requirement has not been addressed by the architects and possibly that they are unaware that the site is actually within a designated conservation area.
"This is not the comprehensive and professional approach that is necessary in order to reassure the public in connection with a profile development such as this."
The group says that while attention has been paid to the building's visual impact within its immediate surroundings, the same cannot be said of its appearance from a distance.
In addition, it says, the two towers that currently feature in the design are "wholly alien" to the setting.
Group chairman Charles Eardley-Wilmot said: "We accept that Thornbury deserves a new library and if by developing the present site and the service yard as a joint venture with the Peer Group this can be achieved satisfactorily it will be a good development for Thornbury.
"However, this is a prime, prominent and very important site within the town centre conservation area and must be considered sympathetically in the context of what can be achieved to enhance this part of Thornbury."
He said the group was also concerned that the proposed first floor library would not be completely user friendly and that the retail side of the development would not succeed in the long term.
Peer Group management was unavailable for comment as the Gazette went to press.
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