Town chief responds to Recorder Exclusive

Jerry Hutchinson, Chief executive of North Warwickshire Borough Council has issued the following statement in response to our recent exclusive concerning possible disposal of council owned sites in the town.

“We can confirm that a number of interested firms have been asked to consider potential future options for public sector accommodation in Atherstone and present their initial ideas. The position as to future consultation, if there is an opportunity to go ahead, is referred to in the press statement. As to the football club, there are currently no firm proposals as is the case with the whole of this project.”

North Warwickshire Borough Council
15th December 2006
Statement for Geoff Wilding in response to item on Atherstone web-site

“The recent refusal at Planning and Development Board of the application for the Phoenix Yard redevelopment is for the following reasons – all of which are publicly available on the website at www.northwarks.gov.uk

• The scale of the proposal would not preserve or enhance the character of the Atherstone Conservation Area, nor the setting of Listed Buildings in the site.
• The quality of proposed development relates unsatisfactorily to its historic context and does not reflect the local distinctiveness and character.
• The proposal does not promote or enhance the town centre.
• There is no provision for locally affordable housing.
• There has been insufficient attention to the amenities of prospective occupiers.

The issue of a possible new site for the Council offices has not even progressed to a discussion stage and is certainly not linked to the planning refusal of Phoenix Yard. Nor is it about a new site just for the Borough Council offices. The idea is to look at bringing together the various services – Borough Council, Social Services, education, libraries, health – scattered around Atherstone onto one potential site. This would make for better and easier access to services for the residents of Atherstone and surrounding areas.

As Leader of the Council, Councillor Colin Hayfield said in a BBC radio interview recently:

“The planning decisions are a completely separate issue to any other proposals – and the developers of course have to right to appeal against the decision. As far as new offices are concerned, proposals have not even got past ‘the back of a fag packet’ stage! And even if the ideas look as though they could work, we will consult with local residents and partner organisations before taking any final decisions.“