I VISITED the BirdBox event on Saturday to see the council’s plans for the short-lived pile of boxes and neglected gabions.
Looking at the artist’s impression of what is likely to appear on the former market hall site, it was disappointing to see what appears to resemble an eastern European concert hall.
Information suggests the building will contain offices, cafes, restaurants, some retail and a large community space.
All these features are already in place with an excellent Methodist Centre – suitable for all sorts of social events at reasonable hire rates at other end of High Street.
Several social clubs available around town with large rooms available for hire at moderate rates and the High Street has a great selection of bars, cafes, pubs and restaurants with food and drink from most continents.
Saturation point is already near, new outlets could only lead to more empty frontages. Bromsgrove already has oversupply of retail and more shops will exacerbate.
Council need to wake up to modern Britain where most shopping needs and household goods are met via the Internet or click and collect with occasional trips to Birmingham, Worcester, Merry Hill for special purchases.
From drawings, the new building appears too large for the site with no staff parking – already an issue with many of town centre workforce parking in Sanders Park blocking spaces for park visitors.
Some form of under building parking should have been considered – a successful example exists in Church Street, Worcester has many.
Mention made of outdoor seating and place to rest and enjoy lunches, the site is adjacent to possibly the noisiest road junctions in town, constant stopping/starting HGVs galore and emergency vehicles with hooters all seem to be routed past site.
This is why ‘BirdBox’ is always deserted and also not safe position to have young children wandering round with so many cars and fumes.
Not many years ago a development suggestion was made for a scheme to fill the site and part of the abandoned car park behind for exceptionally well-designed low rise high density social housing.
All the homes had their own entrance doors some had small gardens and the site had some small common areas.
Of course it was dismissed and what was described as ‘Camden Markets’ style ‘BirdBox’ arrived at great taxpayer expense – this at a time when 3,000+ were on a housing waiting list and social rent properties had plummeted to a dribble.
This could be corrected if a rethink can be taken on the proposed scheme and perhaps consider some much needed housing to the site which also reduce need for more greenbelt incursion.
Sean Shannon
Bromsgrove
IT WAS so sad to read the report by the Care Quality Commission on the Hillcrest Health Ward in Redditch Standard.
My sister was in the car of the sister facility, New Haven, the mental health unit located at the Princess of Wales Community Hospital in Bromsgrove.
She was in their care for over seven months and the treatment she received was absolutely first class.
The whole nursing team went the extra mile.
Their patience, compassion and dedication was phenomenal.
The unit ran like a family, I cannot praise them enough and will always be in their debt.
The outcome regarding my sister was not a happy one but I take solace in knowing she was in the best possible place.
I hope the measures put in place at Hillcrest will bring them up to the high standards of New Haven.
This will give comfort, I am sure, to a live of families with loved ones suffering mental health issues.
Sylvia Sells
Astwood Bank
Redditch
I AM deeply concerned for children in my community and right across Britain.
No matter what’s happening in the country or the economy, no child should ever go hungry.
But last year, 4million children were living in households that went short of food.
These households are our neighbours, our colleagues, our families. This Government should be ashamed.
Extending Free School Meals to every child in primary school is one thing the Prime Minister could do today to ease the pressure on every family during these difficult times. It would ensure every child gets a healthy, hot school dinner, every day.
It’s a no-brainer. In England, free school meals are universal up to year two. Why do we stop feeding children at school when they turn seven?
Scotland and Wales are rolling this out already. Children in England deserve no less.
On March 24, the Free School Meals for All Bill is due for its second reading in Parliament. I want to see every MP back this Bill.
We can get this done. It just takes the political will and moral clarity to do what’s right.
Patricia Dufficy
