Tricorn House; bid for improvement

Tricorn mock-up by Inside Out team

Over last year I was in touch with Dan Martyr about a possible project with Tricorn House - sadly Tricorn owners or their agents didn't respond and it looks like it wont go ahead. However Dan gave me permission to add the photos of the project to share on this blog - click on them to enlarge.

As this blog has noted all agree that something must be done about Tricorn House. Sadly there looks like there will be a long wait before we see any action....hence this project proposal to address the community perception of the building....it is even more sad this project hasn't gone ahead.

As Dan writes: "Stroud is very much a community town and an artistic one and I believe would respond well to the Tricorn being the centre of a community art project – one that is part of a greater international art movement. The proposal is to be a part of an ongong project created by French artist JR for which he won the TED 2011 prize http://www.insideoutproject.net/

Tricorn mock-up by Inside Out team

"To put it simply the process would be to put up large black & white images of people in the windows of the building thus repopulating the empty space.....The images would be of local people, people who could be using this space in positive ways. It’d be nice to reignite a positive attitude toward this Stroud icon."

Maybe someone from Tricorn will read this and the project can still live??

Updates: Tricorn, MSA, 20mph, Turn Back Time, Street-lighting and more

Well here is all sorts of bits of news that I've been meaning to update...

Tricorn House - well I spoke with planning at SDC a couple of weeks ago and I guess a Compulsory Purshase Order by the Council to then sell to Ecotricity will have to wait maybe up to 2 years. In the meantime the developer will have to show that they are serious about developing the site as a care home. It does seem wholly inappropriate for 96 people so close to all those roads. Dale Vince, MD of Ecotricity, said at the time: "We think it's a crazy idea. "Who'd want their relatives living in a brutalist building on a roundabout at the edge of town? We think it's just another stalling tactic by the owners, we'll be amazed if it actually goes ahead." Of course this delay may mean that Ecotricity develop elsewhere and that means yet again no progress for this eyesore. Outrageous.

Dog doos - a particular problem area is the field behind Whiteshill Church. I have had emails from two residents on this. The Parish Council and local PCSO’s have been in contact with the land owner before Christmas and PCSO's are already patrolling the field to try and improve the problem. Amazingly the notices put up warning to get owners to be more responsible have been pulled down on several occasions. The WaRbler newsletter has also had an article and I hear things are slightly improved in the area.

Motorway Services Area - well as reported on this blog it got the go-ahead - well now a Judicial Review has called it in - we await to hear the decision by one person and see whether they overturn the elected bodies decision?

20 mph - well the speed measures (see left) have now been taken in Whiteshill and Ruscombe to see if a mandatory 20 mph might be allowed....Randwick Parish has also reapplied to have the 20 is Plenty signs reinstalled. See recent success with inquiry here - although we are waiting to hear from Cabinet now.

Randwick Parish Lighting - yonks ago I supported the switching off of Parish lights late at night - see also here re Essex. Whiteshill and Ruscombe have already had a load switched off - well now at last Randwick is set to be part of the scheme.

Grit bins - well they have all recently been refilled - there is still one missing along Bread Street that I have reported. I also noted as these pics show the vandalism earlier in the year. They do need to be set lower in the ground like the one on the corner at Humphreys End - that was set lower and hasn't been pushed over despite a history of being pushed several times each year.

New road surface in Randwick - Well the missing patch of new tarmac near Ocker Hill was a mystery. Why the bit missed? Well apparently it was over concern that the heavy machinery would lead to the collapse of nearby Cotswold stone walls. The area is likely to be done by hand now.Meanwhile part of the new surface has already come loose - I have photographed it and sent it in - but having said that the team were very friendly and considerate - well done to them.

BBC programme Turn Back Time - did you folks get to see it? A 1930s drapers shop was recreated in the Merrywalks Centre where we could see authentic local cloth saved from an actual drapers in Minchinhampton when it closed in 1939.It was a sort of museum with over 400 people visiting each day and over 700 on teh Saturdays.

Local historian Ian Mackintosh, from the Stroudwater Textile Trust, was there (see left) - he is reported saying to local papers: “The BBC contacted the Museum in the Park to see if Stroud would be interested in hosting an event and they contacted us to see if we could help. It’s a very interesting way to introduce Stroud’s history to those who don’t know a lot about the town’s past, and we’ve been working closely with Stroud’s Chamber of Commerce to get businesses involved to make sure the event is a success.”See more at www.stroud-textile.org.uk.

Tricorn House development approved

Well a very busy weekend with Wap, family, trip to London and more after the election and meetings today with Green councillors to plan the next moves - but will try and get the blog back on track more.....first up must mention news that most will have now heard re Tricorn House.

Photos: Stroud Life print Tricorn plans and below the demo last November at which I spoke re this building

Well on 27th April, the Development Control Committee approved a scheme for a new head quarters for the local green energy company, EcoTricity. The scheme involves a living wall and passive ventilation, all designed to make the building as efficient as possible. Whilst EcoTricity is still not currently the owner of the land, I understand that there are on-going discussions between them and the agents for the owner. Let's hope for some good news soon.

The drawings are available on the planning website at www.stroud.gov.uk/plans-online using reference number S.10/0499/FUL.

Tricorn House demo today

Lunchtime today I joined the protest picnic against the Government's decision to refuse a compulsory purchase order which would have seen derelict Tricorn House transformed by energy company Ecotricity into their HQ.

Photos: sent to me by other protestors and the group shot taken by Stroud Life reporter on my camera

There were some 20 of us there including at least one protestor on the roof. Here's some of what I said at the picnic: "Over 4 years ago I interviewed over a 100 people in the area for Cainscross Parish and time and time again in the interviews Tricorn House was raised unprompted. Without exception thoughts about Tricorn House were negative and it was repeatedly mentioned as what people would most like to change about the area. Virtually everyone I speak to still wants action. For over 10 years this building has lain empty with no attempts by the owners to engage with local people. I joined this demo to show my support again for a deal that will enable local wind-energy company Ecotricity to build a new HQ, where more than 300 people will work. This could have a huge positive impact on local businesses in this area. It is time we had a better deal for Cainscross."

The CPO has overwhelming public support. Many have been outraged at the decision of John Denham, Minister at the Department for Community and Local Government, to block the purchase of Tricorn House which has long been a vandalised eyesore on a prominent a Stroud gateway site. Denham has indicated that he has no commitment to either local communities or local government. He has ruled bizarrely that the CPO did not strike a fair balance between the public interest and the human rights of the owner, and that the HQ could be located on another site.

Here is what Martin Large said: "Millville Ltd (owned by Wellfair Holdings) the offshore, Guernsey based owner, has kept Tricorn House mostly empty since 1996 for ‘property investment’. It is now derelict, vandalised, with broken windows. Stroud civil society would like to see the site brought back into productive use, by SDC vigorously continuing its CPO bid to secure the site for Ecotricity. A letter to John Denham has been signed at this picnic, inviting Mr Denham to come and see Tricorn House for himself, and to personally help SDC remove the blockages to reclaiming the site for business and the community."

“Tricorn house is an abomination, that ranks even worse than Stroud Police Station, as the most ugly lump of concrete in the district. The graffitti on it says it all: ‘Please Knock Me Down.’”
Local resident

Anyhow I brought donuts along for the picnic and proceeded to bite into a jam one that shot the jam up my sleeve where it remained when I went to work - agh well it was still tasty. Here is how the SNJ already describe the demo with picks on their website (How dare they beat this blog with the news!):

Concerned residents gathered outside the derelict building in Cainscross to show their support for Stroud District Council's CPO. One protester climbed onto the roof with a banner proclaiming 'Power to the People' will others, who gathered for a picnic, held banners including 'Tri Harder', 'Land 4 People' and 'Reclaim Tricorn'. After a three-day public inquiry into the CPO in July, John Denham, Secretary of State for Community and Local Government, said this month that he did not think there was not a compelling case for a CPO in the public interest. At the picnic, a letter to Mr Denham was signed by protesters, inviting him to come and see Tricorn House, and to personally help SDC remove the blockages to reclaiming the site for business and community. Martin Large, a member of Stroud Common Wealth, said: "Organisations and members of the community now have the chance to make a renewed CPO bid. This could be a community buy out plan with much needed housing, community facilities, offices and a green gateway to Stroud on the Tricorn House site."

As a last note I think it is very unlikely that the community would have the chance of putting in a bid - Ecotricity are already refining their previous bid. I am hopeful that this time they can provide all the info needed to ensure a successful bid. As I said above it is time that local people had a better deal.

Join the Tricorn Picnic demo

A picnic is being planned to be held at Tricorn House on Tuesday 17th November at 12 noon. This is to draw attention to the misguided decision to allow the rights of a Guernsey-based property company to prevail over those of a local business. See more here. It was also good to see that Ecotricity are still game to go for the Compulsory Purshase Order - see Citizen here. Join us for the picnic!

Pic: 'Godzilla' courtesy of Stroud artist Simon aka Vietnamthemovie - this time the full-size image!

Tricorn House - still a way to go

Latest news is that plans to compulsory purchase Tricorn House by Stroud District Council appear to have got a hitch - the inspector has laid out more evidence required - personally it appears to be a straight forward case - there are no other suitable sites for Ecotricity within a community - and we must sort this monstrosity out - there are few within the community who don't want to see this site developed - indeed when I was interviewing residents as part of a local Parish Plan it was overwhelmingly the main issue that came up. Let's hope this does not delay what surely must be the inevitable?

Photo: Clover the busker in Stroud courtesy of Stroud artist Simon aka Vietnamthemovie - although I had intended to use his great image of 'Save Tricorn House' but it appears to have been removed from the web - anyhow catch Simon at Stroud Farmer Market.

Update 1st Nov

A blog reader sent this pic in they found on the web - a thumbnail of original from Vietnamthemovie - big thanks.

Local news bits: Whitestock, toilets, recycling and Tricorn

Whitestock - The Friends of Whiteshill School hope to repeat the huge success of their first music festival - gates open at school at 6pm on Saturday 4th July with the Whiteshill Samba band then a mix of various other acts including the Johnson and Kempner Partnership teachers jazz band and the Reservoir Hogs - ring Angie Mason on 753461 for details.

Photo: Standish Woods

Our Wonderful World exhibition - Randwick School's exhibition 9am to 5pm in the church until the end of June - pride of place is the Tree of Life.

Randwick Hall Toilet block success - the Glos Environmental Trust have come up trumps with £8,000 for the toilet block - this means the £40,000 phase II of the hall development is now set to go-ahead this year - an incredible achievement to raise all that money since September - special thanks to Val Flack for masterminding it all.

Recycle Week - yes it's recycle week this week - see more here and here - it is good to have these reminders about what we can recycle but none of this goes far enough - we need Councils and the Government to wake up - we are still years behind countries like Germany. Oh and another website that is good is that Love Food Hate Waste site: www.lovefoodhatewaste.com

On street recycling bins launched - lots of hard work by Stroud District Youth Council (SDYC) means that innovative litter recycling bins will be unveiled this week at locations across the local area. Recognised as the active voice for 11 - 18 year olds for the district, the youth council formed a litter recycling pilot project team. They decided to introduce recycling bins around Stroud, concentrating on routes most commonly used by young people such as the paths to and from school. Following extensive design work and consultation with officers at Stroud District Council, bespoke multi compartment recycling bins were sourced, customized artwork produced and locations known to have a high density of litter were identified. Well done indeed to them all.

Tricorn House - Objections to the compulsory purchase of the eyesore Tricorn House will be heard at a public inquiry to start on 14th July. The building's owner Wellfair Holdings will argue against Stroud District Council's plan to buy the derelict office block and hand it straight on to the company Ecotricity - who want to redevelop the site on the Cainscross roundabout as its new HQ. It will be before a government inspector, whose final recommendation will probably go before the Secretary of State for approval. As many will know I have long argued along with most of the local population that this site urgently needs redevelopment - indeed I raised the issue when I was first elected 3 years ago - so I have given a warm welcome to this move at last of compulsory purshase - Tricorn was built in the 1970s and was originally Stroud's Department of Social Security building. In the last 10 years it has not been used and has looked worse each year. See a photoshop of someone elses' view of Tricorn House here.

Cashes Green Hospital - site has got the go-ahead for Outline Planning permission - see previous blog here.

The Lake at The Lawns latest

The SNJ yesterday had an article about the lastest on the Lake at The Lawns in Cainscross - the last bit of Ruscombe Brook before it goes into the canal.

Photo: Lake last year

It is to be transformed into a wildlife haven by Stroud Community Land Trust. As reported before on this blog the Lake at The Lawns was once part of a Victorian estate. It was left largely unmanaged for more than 40 years before Stroud Community Land Trust took over responsibility.

British Waterways did some work a while back on the site - although there were few water specialists who agreed with their plans - indeed at one meeting I attended all groups from water engineers, the Council's drainage officer, local Council, Water 21 and many others all said there were better ways of spending the money - my blog has reported some of that before - see for example here and here.

The works they did have improved things even if most felt there were more sustainable solutions - and it is great that the Trust has now secured further monies to start the first phase of a 10-year project to turn it into an urban oasis - and much needed - as I've said before Cainscross ward is the highest concentration of housing with the fewest green spaces in the District so it is great that this area is now to get some more attention - and I read in the SNJ that the Lawns accounts for 30 per cent of the open green space for that urban area of more than 7,000 people.

Some other bits from SNJ article: Records show that the lake itself dates back to the 12th Century and was used as a mill pond for Canalside Mill in the 19th Century. When the house was sold in 1904, the estate agent said the area was mainly open, with several old timber trees, fruit trees, a kitchen garden, chicken runs, greenhouses and a tennis courts. There were also two small ponds alongside the lake. Gloucestershire County Council bought the property and demolished the house in the 1960s to make way for the Cainscross Roundabout and Tricorn House. The lake at The Lawns is all that remains of the kitchen garden and more formal grounds. Anyone with historic pictures of the lake or mansion can contact Stroud Town Council on 01453 762817.

Green plan for recession launched in Stroud

Thursday night saw the Stroud Subscription Rooms filled with nearly 200 people - a damp Thursday night to hear a panel of speakers talking about recession - I have to confess I never thought we'd get 60 people - it shows how the issue is really touching people - the evening was spent looking at how to 'Come out of the Recession Healthier, Wealthier and a Lot More Green'.

My photos: Colin Hines, Simon Pickering, Molly Scott Cato, Martin Whiteside and chair Carole Garfield - other photos of event and Transition Stroud stall - apols for quality - was feeling tired and prefering to talk to others rather than click!

The event was the Gloucestershire launch of the 'New Green Deal' on Thursday 27th November - it included lead speaker Colin Hines, co director of Finance for the Future and a former head of Greenpeace Economics Unit, who was the originator of the Green New Deal concept. He also co-authored the report with a panel including Green party Leader and MEP Dr Caroline Lucas, Richard Murphy, Co-Director of Finance for the Future and Director, SolarCentury boss Jeremy Leggett, Guardian Economic Editor Larry Elliot, and former Friends of the Earth chief Tony Juniper.

Carole Garfield of Stroud Chamber of Commerce chaired the evening and opened the event by saying that the Green New Deal was a response to the global economy facing a ‘triple crunch’: a combination of a credit-fuelled financial crisis, accelerating climate change and soaring energy prices.

Colin Hines introduced the Green New Deal that calls for the increase in public expenditure to be spent funding hundreds of thousands of green collar jobs in a 'carbon army'. This 'army' will be trained to make every building in the UK energy efficient and increase the use of renewables. He said: "Investment in this 'Green New Deal' will create jobs all over the country, whereas tax cuts will have fewer benefits as people are likely to increase immediate spending largely on imported goods."

The other speakers were Dr Simon Pickering from Ecotricity; Molly Scott Cato, Economist and Euro-Parliamentary Candidate and Councillor Martin Whiteside, International Development Worker and Parliamentary Candidate. After each spoke there was an hour of lively questions and comments taken from the floor.

Martin Whiteside made the links between the national plans for green investment and local businesses. He said: "The Green New Deal is an exciting opportunity for us to invest in the businesses that will create a sustainable green economy. The Government has recognized the need to invest to prevent massive increases in unemployment, but is going down the wrong route. Instead of tax cuts we need to see investment is being spent strategically to bring about a green industrial revolution."

Molly Scott Cato said: "It's time to put to rest once and for all the false option of choosing between economic success and environmental sustainability. We must engineer the green economy of the future to compensate for the collapse of a discredited economic model dependent on credit binges, gravity defying house prices and increasing consumption. In short it's time for the Green New Deal."

Simon Pickering from Ecotricity discussed the important role that electricity generation and supply companies must play in the low-carbon economy. To applause he announced that papers for compulsory purchase will be served on Tricorn House owners : Ecotricity hopes that an exciting zero-carbon building with energy from local wind power generation will be built on the site.

What is the Green New Deal?

The Green New Deal report proposes public investment of £30 billion that will save energy and have the added advantages of helping to address climate change and increase UK energy security. In the short term it will address the threats to the real economy from an economic downturn that threatens to rival the crash of 1929.

It proposes:

* A £30bn stimulus package, creating thousands of green-collar jobs in environmental works that will dramatically reduce the carbon emissions of UK buildings
* The creation of new national investment products, such as local government bonds, to fund this work and provide a safe haven for pensions and savings
* Keeping interest rates low to encourage investment in the green economy
* Shifting from VAT to pollution taxes, cutting the standard rate of VAT to 15%, and reducing it to 5% for some items, and abolishing road tax whilst increasing pollution taxes on fuel
* Closing offshore tax havens to stabilise the financial sector, discourage tax avoidance and to help provide funds for the Green New Deal

You can download a copy of the report at: www.glosgreenparty.org.uk/

Updates: Tricorn House, Standish Hospital, Purton Hulks and A46 lorries

Updates on these topics which have been discussed at length previously in this blog (use search engine for items):

Photo: Fungi in Standish woods

Tricorn House - Stroud Life report that owners of Tricorn have been accused of trying to block a rival bid to re-develop it. Wellfair Holdings Ltd has put forward two different ideas for Tricorn House to Stroud District Council – but Dale Vince of Ecotricity, who wants to buy it, says they're not serious and the "building needs knocking down." Stroud District Council (SDC) is still trying to secure a compulsory purchase order (CPO) on the site - a move I fully support. The earliest these new planning applications will be decided is expected to be December.

Standish Hospital - Junior health minister Ben Bradshaw has approved the handover of the Standish Hospital site near Stonehouse, to Gloucestershire Primary Care Trust. It closed in 2004 when the new Gloucestershire Royal Hospital buildings opened. Many of us have been fighting to save it from closure for a long time. In July of this year, the PCT outlined various uses for the site including providing health and social care services, accommodation for older people with a range of disabilities, as well as services for people of all ages. Short term health and social care treatment could be made available, plus care for people between hospital and home.

Purton Hulk's - Paul Barnett has made a one man's crusade to save the ship graveyard on the eastern bank of the River Severn. This collection of ships beached has now been covered by the BBC and will appear in the Spring of 2009 with anchor presenter, Neil Oliver. As regular blog readers will know I have backed Mr Barnett's petition to make the site a listed ancient monument. From 1910, the canal authority beached old vessels to form breakwaters and so save the canal from river erosion. The last vessels to be beached were the motorised barge Severn Falcon and seven ferrous concrete barges in the late 1960s. The Friends of Purton are currently recruiting like-minded people to act as site guides, to conduct an ongoing programme of archaeological surveys and participate in forthcoming research programmed for 2009. For details on this or the petition call Mr Barnett on 07833 143 231 or email barnadillo@aol.com

Lorries and A46 - Heavy lorries are set to be banned from using some Cotswold villages as shortcuts as reported before in this blog. Gloucestershire County Council now looks set to approve a measure designed to stop lorries weighing more than 7.5 tonnes from being driven through many villages, except for deliveries. The lorry management zone is set to be brought in at the end of the year and lorries over 7.5t will be banned from using the A46 between Stroud and Brockworth, the A4173 between Pitchcombe and Brookthorpe, the B4008 between Stonehouse and Hardwicke, and the A435 between Seven Springs and Cirencester, as short cuts. This means an extra 34 lorries a day are expected to use the Air Balloon junction and Nettleton Bottom on the A417, with 162 more on the A419 at Stonehouse and an extra 68 at Stroud. The report to the committee stated the maximum increase in CO2 emissions would be 0.5% - however a point I made before is that if you reduce lorries you can increase cycling and walking which will hopefully even out any rises in CO2 that are forecast.

Wap, Shop, Archway, Tricorn and more

Here's another handful of local news:

Stan to be Mayor: Stan Giles will take over from Sheila Bliss as Mayor of Randwick - not an official Council Mayor but one voted on by local folk who register with the Wap. He will step down after 12 years as chair of the Wap committee to take over the post. Good luck to him!

Photo: Great photo of Stan in Stroud Life

Whiteshill Village Shop: Whiteshill Primary School children have raised £166.00 towards the £3,000 needed to replace the burnt toilet - they produced a great picture in the playground made from pennies. The Playgroup had earlier raised £400.00 from a welly walk and local Shop volunteer Damian is hoping to encourage support from local builders to help with the rebuilding of the loo.

Photo: View of Vine Tree, Randwick from Laggers last night

Bread Street Street party: Last night more residents met in the Vine Tree to make further plans - we have at least one band sorted and a road closure has been submitted. More coming soon.

Archway revamp: A further £1.5 million is going to Archway School for a new accommodation unit for the school's Learning Support Department and Inclusion Centre, further new teaching spaces and increased music, office and admin - this all comes on top of the much needed £5 million first phase which included a new technology block, new student entrance area and biomass boiler.

Tricorn House: Stroud district councillors voted unanimously to approve a move to wrest the building from its owners - they would then sell it on to wind power market leader Dale Vince of Ecotricity. About time too - as regular blog readers will know this is something I asked for some years ago - the building has been empty for 10 years. However I don't expect the fight is over - Wellfair Property Investment Holdings Ltd say SDC's attempt to force it to sell for £1.3 million is not enough - and a fence has gone up around the former DHSS building in Cainscross Road. But as Councillor John Marjoram (Green, Trinity) said at the meeting: "People have put in offers for this building and every time the price goes up. To my mind this is the only route we can follow, if we are not bullied by the person who has put the fence round. It's a prime site." Dale Vince said to the press: "We'd like to build something special here. It would probably involve knocking down the old building but we haven't written off yet using what's here. What we would like to end up with is something special, a zero carbon building that's somewhere great for our people to work and something that looks beautiful as well."

Whiteshill Plant Sale: 17th May at the Village Shop 9am to 1pm.

Wap stalls wanted: Book your stall now for Saturday 10th May - call Steve on 752478.

Walking the length of the Ruscombe Brook

On Saturday around 20 of us set off to walk the length of the brook from the Lawns opposite Tricorn House where the brook runs into the canal to the spring heads in the Ruscombe valley.

Photos 1 and 2 are the Lawns starting out and the Fire Officer explaining the precautions they take not to contaminate the brook.

The photos in this blog entry are a collection of shots along the way - we had a coffee at a house just by the roundabout near the beginning and also had various people tell stories along the way - we also met up along the way with the duty fire officer and several householders and land owners who gave us access to their gardens and the brook.

Photos 3, 4 and 5 tramping through jungle of Hamwell Leaze - crossing the brook and areas of very damp land.

It was a brilliant way to get to help folk understand this very varied watercourse - parts were inaccessible as they run through gardens and parts are culverted - we were also able to pick up on problem areas...

Photos 6 and 7: somebody washing car - soapy water goes direct into brook - and several places where garden clippings and grass cuttings are right close to the brook - heavy rain washes this into the brook and leads to blockages and poorer water quality.

Many places we stopped to discuss and learn more about everything from flow forms to road gullies.

Photos 8 and 9: Group looking at a possible blocked culvert leading to river on road at Puckshole and a talk about flowforms from Simon Charter at a site near Puckshole.

At the next RBAG meeting we will look more closely at what we have found - and also hope to organise some walks for members of the public - meanwhile I've written again in support of opening up the footpath access at the Fire Station - see part of letter below to the Town Council:

On Saturday over 20 of Ruscombe Brook Action Group members and others walked the length of Ruscombe Brook meeting various folk along the way including local landowners and the Fire service. We sadly wont be able to meet your deadline of 9th April for a route for the Walking Festival but do hope to organise a number of further walks.

One issue arose again: the access behind the fire station to Hamwell Leaze. I mentioned this to SDC and she said you are looking again at access and footpath issues - I would love it if this could be included.

While I am aware some residents further along have reservations about increased vandalism if the site was opened up, I consider that increased pedestrian traffic could in fact reduce crime. As I am sure you know Cainscross ward is the highest concentration of housing in the District and has the lowest number of green spaces. The site is on the edge of the Town and is very underused by local residents, many of whom I am surprised to learn, do not even know the space exists.

I would support a through route from the Fire Station under the arches through to Hamwell Leaze. This would also be a useful link for many who at the moment have a long route round. All the best - Philip

Cllr. Philip Booth,
Stroud District councillor for the Randwick, Ruscombe and Whiteshill ward,

Tricorn House - at last a future?

Stroud District Council wants to use a compulsory purchase order to seize Tricorn House from its present owners - yippie!

Photo: Tricorn with trees recently cut down

As diligent blog readers will know a long while back I raised the issue of compulsory purshase of Tricorn House (see various previous blogs) - this was in response to work I had been doing on Cainscross Parish Plan - it was overwhelmingly one of the most important things that could be tackled to improve the area. Time and time again in the interviews I was conducting for the Parish Plan this issue was raised unprompted.

Now of course I'd like to say have the Council listened to me - but then again they may have just come to the same conclusion? After all it is pretty obvious and as many have said why has it taken so long?

Anyhow an emergency motion was tabled at a cabinet meeting last Thursday to seek possession of the former Department of Social Security building - known as one of the region's ugliest - via a compulsory purchase order. The building was last occupied 10 years ago by the DSS and has been empty ever since despite a relatively buoyant commercial market in recent years.

Updated: Photo below from guy who left comment - see comment to understand!

Here's some of what the Council papers said: The decline in the physical appearance and fabric of the building has accelerated over the past year. The Council has been obliged to address issues created by the vacant building. The Council’s Anti-Social Behaviour Officer has liaised with the owner and local residents over a range of community safety and anti-social behaviour issues. Apart from the growing community safety concerns, there are important environmental and economic considerations. The property is prominent on one of the ‘gateway’ routes into Stroud. As such, it has an impact not only locally but also to the District, in the eyes of investors, tourists, developers and residents. Whilst the site is not protected for employment purposes under policy EM5 of the adopted Local Plan it is generally protected under policy EM4 that sets out a series of criteria which have to be met before permission is granted. The Regional Spatial Strategy Examination in Public report has re-emphasised the need to generate local employment opportunities in the District, as part of reducing out-commuting and creating sustainable communities.

Wellfair Property Investment Holdings Ltd. is the owner of Tricorn House. According to its agents, offers were made by 3 prospective purchasers in July 2006. None of these were taken forward. The Council has sought the District Valuer’s assessment of current market value. As at December 2007, the valuation is in the region of £1.3 million.

Ecotricity, a national renewable energy company with headquarters in the District, has approached the owner and the Council. Its interest in acquiring the site has since been reported in the local media. It is understood that the company wishes to expand and create new jobs. Ward councillors have expressed interest in the company’s plans and the prospect of employment opportunities. Ecotricity has indicated that it would be willing to negotiate with Wellfair Property Investment Holdings Ltd. The Chief Executive offered to introduce the parties to one another but Wellfair Property Investment Holdings Ltd considered this inappropriate. Instead, separate meetings have been held with both companies.

It is increasingly evident that, without the Council’s intervention, the property will continue to deteriorate and the employment potential of the site will remain unrealised. In the circumstances, it is proposed that the Council acquire the site and building, using its Compulsory Purchase powers and subject to a ‘back to back’ agreement with a party willing to purchase from the Council. This will minimise the Council’s risk and financial exposure.

The Council used such an approach with 15 High Street, Stroud. This building was having a detrimental impact on the town’s investment potential and creating environmental and community safety concerns. Following the Council’s decision to use its compulsory purchase powers, a commercial solution was identified and the building is currently being redeveloped.

The motion will now go before the Full Council on April 17.

Tricorn trees chopped but not Vicarage trees yet

I was disappointed to see the loss of trees at Tricorn House just before Christmas and followed up with the Parish as to why...

Photo: Above - Tricorn House with the trees in front of it cut down and below with trees helping to conceal the monster

...the Parish presume the owners cut them down and that the trees were not protected - very sad as they hid and softened part of the building - but perhaps it is a good sign that things are moving on that site - scroll down to blog entry on 21st December re the hopes of Ecotricity to purshase the site?

For all too long local residents have seen this empty building as a blight - most I met when I was interviewing residents for their Parish Plan wanted it torn down and removed - others were happy to see it occupied and the facade to be changed. Recently however I met someone who was a 'fan' of the building and its architecture - in mentioning this to someone else I found they too were a fan - are there others out there? Does this building really have any merit?

Vicarage trees

Anyhow while on trees I also followed up on a resident who reports trees cut down at Vicarage - however it seems from my look and words with the Parish that they have not been chopped - scroll down to my blog on 17th December 2007 for background info on this.

There has apparently been a second application regarding the Vicarage trees, which include replanting with silver birches - the Parish have opposed - It's on the SDC website S.07/2516 - see it here.

Tricorn House news

In the last post I talked of the Rodborough Fort sale - sadly Tricorn House is still not happening - Dale Vince from Ecotricity wants to tear down the eyesore and replace it with an iconic headquarters for the world's first green electricity company. He is prepared to plough around £10 million into creating new offices for his growing company on the site at Cainscross.

Photos: Grafitti says 'Knock Me Down Please' - and bottom photo showing Tricorn at the end of the road almost makes it look OK

The Citizen reports: "Mr Vince, who was awarded the OBE for his services to the environment, said his dream was to develop an architect-designed landmark with the impact of the "Gherkin" in London but at the same time as zero-carbon as possible. But the snag is that Mr Vince said he had been trying unsuccessfully to buy Tricorn House for the past two years."

They quote him saying: "Our frustrations have reached such a level now we've decided to bring this into the public domain. We need space to grow into. Staff numbers now stand at 130 and will more than double in the next few years. We are looking for a chance to do something really 'out there' in terms of technology and design - something stunning. We are talking probably £10 million."

The four-storey Tricorn House was built in the 1970s and for years served as offices for the Department of Health and Social Security and as locals will know is on a gateway to Stroud - but has been empty for many years - and been vandalised and fallen into disrepair.

I've known of Ecotricity's interest in the site for a long time and find it hard to understand why developers wont sell the site. Is it greed? Can they really get a better offer by holding on? House prices are starting to fall....certainly when I helped with the Cainscross Parish Plan Tricorn House was the issue that was raised most by locals - they want it down or radically improved - it is an horrendous blot on the landscape. Good luck to Dale - and if those developers are reading this please act to help us improve our community.

Odds and ends: canal, Archway, Lawns and more

Here's a collection of bits and bobs of recent local news.....

Canal update - Last night I spent a couple of hours at Ebley Mill discussing the canal (terrible quality photo of noticeboard at Ebley) - the latest public news is that following much negotiation Cabinet are recommending Council to take on the risks of Brimscombe Port - read more here at item 5 - this report out today shows the risk could be as much as £2 million but if not accepted basically the whole canal project is in jeopardy - I often think Councils don't take enough risks - playing it too cautious and thus missing out on possible serious gains - this looks like here at least they are prepared to support the project.

Anyway there were some useful discussions during the evening - I am still not happy that cycling has been prioritised sufficiently in this project - see earlier blogs on this topic- although I did learn today that cycling is being looked at with a new seriousness. In terms of the issue of using the canal for freight - this is more understandably not going anywhere as the other phases of the canal do not have funding - but it is worth noting that I learnt today that water freight uses 22kg of CO2 per tonne/km compared to 59 kg by road. Another issue is the absurd suggestions that longer term the canal could be used to pump water to the SE thus saving 5 reservoirs to be built - an issue I will return to - indeed I will no doubt return to all of this when I have more time - but for brief summary here is the Inland Waterways view of where we are:

British Waterways has locally announced the start of works at Oil Mills. This is a step towards the start of the main works of National Lottery supported major restoration. There has been some concern that the restoration programme was in jeopardy owing to BW’s board becoming increasingly concerned at the level of unfunded risk that it might have to bear. However, it now appears that BW has accepted a higher level of risk than it originally intended and Stroud District Council has (subject to formal documentation) taken on a significant element of risk that would otherwise have fallen to BW. In order to allow the rest of the major restoration works to start announcements are awaited to confirm the agreements between Stroud District Council and British Waterways for the Council to take on the restoration and development at Brimscombe Port (via a private developer) and for the handover of the land from Gloucestershire County Council to BW.

The work at Oil Mills covers the £1.3 million restoration of a 650-metre stretch of the Stroudwater Navigation and the restoration of Oil Mills Bridge. The original hump-backed bridge on the site was removed as part of a road improvement scheme. It will be replaced by a new bridge echoing original designs but able to carry modern traffic levels, using what remains of the original bridge under the road.

The National Lottery supported restoration work is likely to cost £24.2million and is itself part of a wider regeneration funding package of £37million. The workincludes the full restoration of a 6½-mile (9½-kilometre) stretch from Brimscombe Port to Stonehouse and a further 4-mile (6km) multi-user path to Saul Junction, due for completion in two years. The work is to be project managed by British Waterways and undertaken by its contractor Morrison Construction. Excavation work is expected to be completed in November, followed by the bridge in March 2008. The Cotswold Canals Partnership expects to hear later this autumn about its £24million Big Lottery Fund bid which would take the restoration a further 4 miles (six kilometres) from The Ocean to Saul Junction.

The Lawns consultation - the area opposite Tricorn House in those woods is called The Lawns and has the lake there that this blog has discussed much in the past - the land is now leased by Stroud Community Land Trust from the county council - they plan to share their ideas about ways forward on Sunday 14th October on the site from 10.30am to 2.30pm - call Caroline on 753358 for further info.

Bus shelter in Ruscombe - a bus shelter and/or seat is being considered for near the chapel - local residents, police and highways will be asked their views but do contact the Parish Council if you have thoughts on this.

Ruscombe Brook - today a flow meter is being installed to measure sewage flows near the Randwick tributary sewage pipes - this will hopefully give a clearer picture of what is going on and why we have had the recent incidents of raw sewage escaping into the brook at that point. Plus just a note to say the RBAG display is now up in Cainscross Parish Council office.

Archway school - have their new technology block opened - the first phase of a £6.5 million revamp - it looks like a calming space - and has a biomass boiler running on woodchips.

Stroud Film Society - their 50th Season has started - some films listed here - most films shown on Thursdays at 8 pm - doors open 7.30 pm at the British School, Slad Road, Stroud. Contact: Mrs Beth Cheyne 01453 823 551 for info.

Gullies and footpaths in Randwick - the Parish asked whether the gullies could be cleaned more regularly especially down the Lane and at the bottom of Ash Lane. The footpaths have also been recently checked and various comments made like repairs needed to foot bridge over stream in fields leading from Morehall to the village.

Mayor's Pool - a while back now an unmanned car rolled down from the Vicarage over the wall and into the road destroying the wall around the Mayor's Pool. The car is beyond repair but insurance monies are being sought to repair the wall.

Free Ordnance Survey maps for 11 year olds - I saw a note in the paper re this (more here) - it quoted Vanessa Lawrence who I knew from my school days (see photo) - she is now Director General and Chief Executive of Ordnance Survey and I get the chance to meet up about once every 2 or 3 years - this reminded me we must be due a visit! She is quite an extraordinary woman with many tales to tell of various adventures and more.

Guide Hut - Randwick Parish are still trying to see the best way forward for this site that is currently being misused. Thoughts welcomed by them.

No water in some houses in Paganhill this morning - why?

SNJ look at 1915 wedding - Saw the SNJ report of these two pictured in the photo - employees of Lodgemore Mill near Stroud - Winifred Davis, a weaver who lived at Ruscombe and George Walter Cratchley, a loom tuner who lived in Randwick - George was in the Glos Regiment of the British Army - they married in Ruscombe Chapel in 1912 - this photo of them was used in the article to talk about our local history in weaving - like the billiard tables, Milliken tennis balls and the scarlet cloth used by the British Army for teh Regiment of the Guards.

Play re Rachel Carson - Saturday October 27th - 'Breaking the Silence' - a one woman play on the life of Rachel Carson at 7pm - a one hour piece - see www.rachelcarson.co.uk for show details. This year is the centenary of her birth and as the play advertising says: "it is time to listen as if for the first time to what she has to say." Rachel Carson wrote "Silent Spring" in 1962 overcoming the opposition of government, industry and her own failing personal health in order to alert the world to the careless use of chemicals in our environment. Advance ticket booking: £10 each from The Organic Farm Shop, Abbey Home Farm near Cirencester. Pay by phone with a credit card on 01285 640441. I've been trying to get local media to cover this - by all accounts it should be a good evening.

Catch up on local news: film nights, PO raid and Lawns

Several local news items

Photo: View across to Bread Street from Ruscombe this afternoon

Randwick Film nights: The SNJ this week carries a story about the recent Randwick film nights - I sadly missed them - several people have told me how good they were - included a look at the Wap 33 years ago when the festival was revived - the first Randwick Mayor, the late Jim Turner had three of his sons in the audience.

There was also a film about the Woodchester pavement from 1973 when it was uncovered - I saw the replica made of this - wasn't expecting much but have to say even the replica was amazing - it has been on show locally at the Prinknash Abbey - see also BBC report re Prinknash Abbey.

Paganhill Post Office raided: Police are still hunting raiders who made a hole in a wall in an attempt to burgle the Paganhill post office at the Maypole Community Centre, in Stratford Road. The culprits apparently broke into the hall before gaining entry to the post office, but while they did get into the Post office nothing was stolen from the premises. Anyone with information about the break-in is urged to contact Gloucestershire police on 0845 090 1234, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Some good news is that the Paganhill Post Office is now getting used more - there were serious worries as after it moved trade dropped off to an unsustainable level - I think nobody knew it was there - however trade has picked up and it is now a going concern. However like all small post offices it faces many threats and some have said already it could be one of the ones listed for closure if we are not careful. Readers of this Blog will know I have been deeply unhappy about the whole process - Greens campaigned vigourously to try and ensure Tesco kept the Post Office in their store like in Nailsworth - too readily people accepted their refusal - read previous blogs here (it will come up with previous blogs and this one) - and see letter to SNJ at the time here.

Lawns work: Many will have noticed that work has begun on the ambitious plans to transform the Lake at The Lawns, just off Cainscross roundabout. The Ruscombe Brook Action Group has campaigned long and hard to get reed beds put in to help improve water quality - the brook ends up in that lake before going into the canal - I've attended a fair few meetings and while I am not wholly happy with the outcome it is better than original proposals and does have reed beds.

Some £35,000 worth of funding will go into dredging the lake, building up banks and more. The Stroud Community Land Trust who now manage the area, plan to turn it into a new space for wildlife and the community. The area, as locals will know, has fallen into disrepair over more than a decade. The two-hectare site, which lies in the shadow of Tricorn House, was formerly the garden of a large house known as The Lawns. Boasting a large lake, a flowing brook and hundreds of mature trees, the site has been described by residents as an oasis in an urban jungle. The house was bought by the county council and then demolished to make way for the new road. The old gardens remain, but in recent years the amount of litter, dogs mess and vandalism, along with the poor condition of many of the trees and the silting up of the lake, has meant many local people have stopped using it.

Tricorn House

A while back I raised the issue of compulsory purshase of Tricorn House - this was in response to work I had been doing on Cainscross Parish Plan - it was overwhelmingly one of the most important things that could be tackled to improve the area. Time and time again in the interviews I was conducting for the Parish Plan this issue was raised unprompted.

Anyhow just to keep you up to date the Council have not ruled out the option of compulsory purshase but are waiting to see how the canal developments impact on the area - there are rapid changes occuring and despite this being a monstrosity at one of Stroud's key gateways it does not make sense to go down that route at this point. Apparently the building is on the market again for what many are saying is a ridiculously high price - its certainly a difficult corner site with no good access for vehicles - and it is ceratinly much in need of improvement.