Forum for residents of St Georges Park and Long Leys Road Lincoln

[john shipton]

There are proposals between developers and Lincoln City Council to build an urban village on the former site of St Swithin's Power Station on the Monks Road area of Lincoln.
There are a number of features which will include affordable housing, a water bus service, shops, and forth.
The Lincolnshire Echo published today a number of letters in response...

URBAN VILLAGE AT LAST BUT WHAT ABOUT A JOBS BOOST?

09:45 - 27 May 2008

Plans to create a £100m urban village in the centre of Lincoln (May 22) complete with its own water taxi sounds like a great idea

But where are all these "workers" going to work?

When are we going to hear of a new hi-tech industrial injection into the city so these workers can actually work somewhere?

J. WITHERS Lincoln.

They'd need more than water taxis - Noah's Ark would be a better bet to get the people away when it floods!

J. OZBERG Lincoln.

The promises of alternative modes of transport look great. However, I trust the views of cyclists will be sought - there are plenty of us about! If people are to make full use of the proposed cycle paths, it will be necessary to provide sheltered bike storage for residents and cycle stands for short-term visitors.

We cyclists love to see prettily designed cycle stands, it makes us feel cared for - but they need to be practical too! Secure, conveniently located and plenty of them.

SYLVIA TURNER Secretary of CycleLincs, the Lincoln Cycle Campaign Group.

The Lincoln Plan, which was endorsed in 1998, mentions the concept of an urban village for the Long Leys Road area of Lincoln. This was a wonderful idea and residents living in the area went to the many consultation meetings before and after building began.

The plans looked good on paper. Money was agreed using the section 106 formula and to pay for this the developers put an extra £1,000 for each house built.

My family was the first to move into the area designated part of the urban village.

Surprise, surprise, when the Long Leys Residents' Association was formed, its committee found that Lincoln City Council never had a master plan for the urban village. And none of the section 106 money was or will be spent on providing community facilities.

The residents who bought the new properties on the so-called urban village have seen to date is nothing to resemble an urban village.

Residents were told that the Conservative ruling group now in control of Lincoln City Council should be able to influence the Conservative controlled Lincolnshire County Council about what to do with the former SEC site and perhaps use the building and land for community facilities.

It appears that each council has its own agenda as there has been little progress in the matter.

The councils may wish to consult residents but the two councils talking to each other in finding a solution for the residents is a different matter.

So where do residents go now regarding the urban village?

All they are being offered by the city council is a planning application for a change of use of a piece of land it owns nearby, to be used as a cemetery,

This land (Baker's Field) has been used as an established riding community facility in Lincoln on Long Leys Road for many years.

JOHN SHIPTON
Lincoln.