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Civic Society News
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Green Infrastructure
Thu, Feb 16 2012 19:04
| Greening the city
| Permalink
The Green Infrastructure project is an exciting plan to improve the natural local environment in the city. One of the first objectives is to green the major routes into the city with trees. For full details see our dedicated page, where a briefing note with full details has just been uploaded.
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They ASDA be joking!
Thu, Feb 16 2012 09:51
| Traffic and transport, Planning Submissions
| Permalink
The Society has lodged an objection to plans for a petrol station on the busy ASDA junction in Hereford. This is on the grounds that it will create further congestion in an area which already has traffic problems, reduce air quality, and create an ugly entrance to the city.
Instead, the Society proposes that the filing station could be built on part of the existing car park, which is underused. Here, there would be less congestion, and the land adjacent to the junction could be made more attractive to those arriving in the city.
The submission to the council states: "This junction is one of Hereford City’s major gateways and deserves something more appropriate than a petrol filling station. Adding some trees to the present green area occupying this site would much enhance this entrance to our city, as well as help to reduce air pollution."
The site is immediately adjacent to the A49/A465 junction and was to be the site of an apartment block when ASDA first applied for planning permission in 2003. Though the junction works smoothly, the Society believes that the already heavy congestion here will certainly be made worse by the additional traffic generated by the planned filling station. There is bound also to be an increase in air pollution.
Anyone wishing to comment on the proposal can do so online here. Hereford Civic Society is recommending rejection of this application on the grounds of amenity, traffic congestion and air pollution. We welcome reader comments - please post these below this article.
Instead, the Society proposes that the filing station could be built on part of the existing car park, which is underused. Here, there would be less congestion, and the land adjacent to the junction could be made more attractive to those arriving in the city.
The submission to the council states: "This junction is one of Hereford City’s major gateways and deserves something more appropriate than a petrol filling station. Adding some trees to the present green area occupying this site would much enhance this entrance to our city, as well as help to reduce air pollution."
The site is immediately adjacent to the A49/A465 junction and was to be the site of an apartment block when ASDA first applied for planning permission in 2003. Though the junction works smoothly, the Society believes that the already heavy congestion here will certainly be made worse by the additional traffic generated by the planned filling station. There is bound also to be an increase in air pollution.
Anyone wishing to comment on the proposal can do so online here. Hereford Civic Society is recommending rejection of this application on the grounds of amenity, traffic congestion and air pollution. We welcome reader comments - please post these below this article.
Brian Hatton lecture review
Thu, Feb 9 2012 17:41
| Local News, Event Reviews, Traffic and transport
| Permalink
Local campaign group Here for Hereford have published a review of our recent lecture on Brian Hatton which can be read here.
Plan B for Hay
Wed, Feb 8 2012 07:38
| Herefordshire
| Permalink
Readers may be interested to hear of a plan for a new supermarket in Hay on Wye, a favourite destination for many Herefordians. A local campaign, Plan B for Hay, has been set up, to oppose the supermarket and promote an alternative community plan for this famous "book town".
Find out more from their website here.
Find out more from their website here.
Taking Herefordshire Tourism Forward
Sir Ben Gill, Herefordshire's Tourism Czar and former chief of the National Farmers' Union (NFU), will be talking about his drive to up Herefordshire's profile as a tourist destination at our next event. This takes place on Wednesday, 29th February 2012. Refreshments are available at 7pm and the meeting starts at 7.0pm at the WATERSHED, Wye Street, Hereford HR2 7RB. All welcome.
Mind the clutter
Tue, Jan 24 2012 17:47
| Streets, Street Clutter, Hubert Porte, Widemarsh Street, HCS Comment, Hot Topics
| Permalink
HCS Vice Chair Hubert Porte describes conditions on some Hereford streets as 'squalor' and argues that they are unnecessarily cluttered.
Clutter and squalor on our streets accumulate insidiously. We do not notice them at first, but gradually, they begin to annoy us, until finally we are outraged at the state of our towns and cities.
Clutter and squalor on our streets accumulate insidiously. We do not notice them at first, but gradually, they begin to annoy us, until finally we are outraged at the state of our towns and cities.
Much ratepayers money has been spent on Hereford city. 'Mixed' would be a charitable description of the results. Apart from the unnecessary kerbs, Widemarsh Street is vastly improved. The campaign against chewing gum is very welcome and largely successful. We now need prosecution of the owners of badly maintained vehicles, which drop engine oil on the new paving.
Hightown is a dog's dinner. Despite that, it is a comfortable and welcoming space. Its largely 18th century proportions and streetscape are unique and have hardly changed in the last 150 years. These are precious. “Wow !, this is lovely” has been a frequent comment by visitors from other cities on entering Hightown, at least until 2002.
Since 2002 we have seen the erection of twelve overpowering black posts with cameras and lights on the north side of this space. These are entirely out of keeping with the genteel 18th and 19th century frontages, which characterise Hightown. More recently two revolting rectangular boxes have been erected on the west end of Hightown. These declare that it is a pedestrian zone, something we have all known for years, and stand like two obnoxious totems, obstructing the visitor's views of the Old House and westwards of High Street.
We grumble if there are not enough litter bins, but is Hightown with eleven over-provided ? Provided the bins are not allowed to overflow, could we not manage with a smaller number? Besides, they can hardly be described as beautiful or tasteful.
Six public telephone boxes – two of the old red variety – are too many in this space, or indeed anywhere, considering how little they are used.
Benches and cycle racks are welcome, but their arrangement is not ideal.
As to shopfronts, A-boards, signage and general maintenance of buildings, there is still much improvement needed. Weeds growing two storeys up the frontage of buildings do nothing to enhance the character of a district.
This is just Hightown. The visitor is confronted with rusty poles, unnecessary and confusing signs, puddles and broken surfaces and much else in the streets of our city. There is no doubt that Hereford badly needs some T.L.C. and an administration which appreciates its unique character. Hightown in particular needs an overall redesign by some agency with skill and experience in street design.
Over the next few weeks, we intend to show examples of these deficiencies of our city and would welcome comments and more examples of clutter and general squalor which disturb our readers.
Photographs and further details can be found here.
January Magazine
A new edition of our magazine is now available for download, packed with news and debate from Hereford's built environment forum. The latest edition and a full archive is available here.
Forthcoming events
A poster advertising our February event with Ben Gill, former President of the National Farmers' Union, is now available in our poster downloads area. Please distribute and display as much as possible. Don't forget our next event is this Wednesday - details on the same page.
Vince Cable is coming...
Vince Cable is coming to the 'Green Biz Showcase', on Monday 2 April 2012, from 6.00 - 9.00pm at the Courtyard Theatre and will be taking part in Herefordshire's Question Time.
Organised by the Chamber of Commerce and Herefordshire Greenlinks, this is billed as an opportunity to put questions, issues and good ideas to the business Secretary, Vince Cable - for a better, greener, prosperous future for Herefordshire.
The future for Hereford Station
Sat, Dec 31 2011 11:22
| Hereford Station, Events, Traffic and transport
| Permalink
Rail for Herefordshire are holding a meeting to consider the future of Hereford Station and it's buildings which may be of interest to Civic Society supporters. The meeting will be held on Thursday 9th February 2011 at 7.15pm, and will be attended by representatives from Arriva Trains Wales, who manage the station. All welcome - free entry.
