Monday 13th March, 2023
And so the Tories at County Hall in Chelmsford have wasted no time in coming up with pipe dream ideas for the land at the back of Queen Street in Sunny Colch.
Step forward Tory County Council Leader (and also Colchester City Council Councillor) Kevin Bentley.
He’s told the local newspaper:
“This key part of Colchester city centre is being bought to support a new masterplan being developed for the city.
We will be working with local businesses, residents, Colchester Council and other partners to make sure that the site is being used in the best way it possibly can.”
Local elections are coming up in a couple of months. Cllr Bentley’s Marks Tey and Leyer is not up for grabs this time around.
The neglected land off Queen Street in the Cultural Quarter is finally getting some attention from Essex County Council.
The Council claims to be developing a fresh masterplan to revive the area. This was previously earmarked for a £40 million hotel and flats scheme that never materialised.
Despite a previous masterplan being approved by Colchester Council and the County Council, it was derailed by a change of administration after last year’s local elections.
County Hall Leader Kevin Bentley has said that work is underway to create a new vision for the area.
With £19.66 million has been awarded to Colchester by the Government for city centre regeneration, 84% of this money is expected to be pumped into the areas in and around St Botolph’s.
This leaves other neglected areas without the same level of investment.
Arts campaigner Dorian Kelly’s suggestion to build an eight-metre tall Antony Gormley sculpture of Boudicca seems ‘interesting.’
While it may attract tourists, it’s unclear how this would contribute to the long-term regeneration of the area.
It’s clear that the council needs to do more to prioritise neglected areas of the city and develop realistic plans for their regeneration. Otherwise, the neglected land off Queen Street may continue to languish for years to come, no matter how many “exciting visions” are created.
The land grab by Cllr Bentley and his Tory chums is a well timed.
It was the Cultural Quarter Wot Won It.
Yeah, right.
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