Sudbury Bus Station area proposals to February strategy committee
Cllr Martyn Booth and I attended a meeting with on the “Hamilton Rd Quarter” or the bus station area. The consultation is over and the Council officers have analysed the nearly 200 formal responses to the 3 options put forward for economic regeneration of the area on the edge of the town centre and the future of the bus station. The responses to those who wanted none of the 3 options and those who suggested a 4th option were also covered.
This will form a supplementary planning document (SPD) to guide developers on what is acceptable in this area and so avoid proposals that would stop economic regeneration.
The papers will be published on the 4th Feb, a week before the committee on the 11th Feb. I will publish a link then.
We have asked that a timetable and the next steps should be included.
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Dear Nigel
I see on your website that you and Martyn have met with BDC officers and that some kind of conclusion has been recommended for the area.
You say ‘This will form a supplementary planning document (SPD) to guide developers on what is acceptable in this area and so avoid proposals that would stop economic regeneration’.
This certainly sounds like good news but is far from clear.
You go on to say
‘The papers will be published on the 4th Feb, a week before the committee on the 11th Feb. I will publish a link then’.
I look forward to seeing these. Perhaps you could let me know as soon as they come in to the public domain.
We have asked that a timetable and the next steps should be included.
I am very pleased to hear you request this. as far as I could see, there was no tangible way forward for options 1 & 3 proposed, especially in view of Babergh’s current economic woes.
I do hope Sudbury’s future is now being taken seriously and SCC Highways can still play a relevant part in providing a suitable bus station.
If you feel there might be any advantage in our meeting up still before 11th, please let me know asap.
All best wishes
Robin
OK. Now I’ve read the officers’ report. There is of course, no hope for option 4 - The Civic Trust scheme - a future for Sudbury.
I would like to know how 43 objections to all 3 options ‘recorded’ from our meeting constitute 14% of the vote of 200. I know of many other people that voted against the options proposed. I note, no reference to the fact that an independent public meeting was held to discuss, although councillors and officers were invited to attend.
I despair when I read what is proposed and how it is likely to be carried through. The officers are totally aware that Option 3 is just a smoke screen. There is no way that it can be achieved with no budget, no corporate will, and the SCC Highways urgent need to build a ‘bus station’
This is Strategy and Planning gone mad.