Southend Pier £3m cultural centre is agreed (From Echo)
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Southend Pier £3m cultural centre is agreed
8:27am Thursday 15th September 2011 in News
An artist's impression of the plan
CONSERVATION experts have thrown another hurdle in the path of Southend Pier’s new £3million cultural centre.
Despite councillors approving the much-delayed plans for the pierhead yesterday, English Heritage has warned it could refuse to back the development.
The Government quango wants to have the final say on the materials used to coat the wave-shaped centre.
It believes the constant wind and rain in the middle of the Thames Estuary could give the building a “tired” look.
A spokesman for the group said: “We consider new buildings should be of an exceptionally high standard, and tested against the widest possible criteria.
“We are not opposed to the concept of this building.
“But we have serious concerns about the facing materials’ durability, weathering qualities and overall appearance.”
Southend Council officers have taken steps to allay English Heritage’s fears.
It has promised to consult it again before the development goes ahead.
The council needs the conservation group’s permission before it can make any alterations to the Grade II-listed pier.
The concerns are the latest setback to hit the cultural centre, which was supposed to have been built by this summer.
The plans have already been stalled several times because of concerns over its impact on the river’s colony of ruddy turnstones and other seabirds.
However, planning permission for the development was granted by the council’s development control committee yesterday, amid a fanfare of praise.
Elizabeth Day (Con, West Shoebury) said: “I am wholly and totally in favour of this building going ahead.
“We have one of the most famous piers in the world, but nothing on the end of it. That needs to change.”
Chris Walker (Con, Eastwood Park) added: “I am 100 per cent behind this. We really need something to attract people to the end of the pier.”
The plans were eventually approved by 12 votes to none, with three abstentions.
If English Heritage gives its consent, the council hopes to finish the pre-fabricated centre by the end of March next year.
Comments(13)
geezer, innit
says...
8:57am Thu 15 Sep 11
jayman
says...
9:06am Thu 15 Sep 11
1scorpio
says...
9:13am Thu 15 Sep 11
SARFENDMAN
says...
10:50am Thu 15 Sep 11
southendreb
says...
11:08am Thu 15 Sep 11
Pounder
says...
11:43am Thu 15 Sep 11
live in westcliff
says...
1:04pm Thu 15 Sep 11
Personally, I think what would go down well would be a nice cafe, a nice bistro/restaurant and the option of doing boat trips to a variety of places. Why not do some sort of novelty package idea where you could sail to Whitstable, stay overnight at a B and B and sail back the following day. Maybe sail to Kent and take a shuttle to Rochester to visit for the day - just ideas but feel eating and entertainment and actually use the Pier for what it was built for - regular boat trips.
Additionally I don't see a problem with the odd ride being on the Pier - that's what is on Clacton and Brighton and their piers are thriving......
perini
says...
3:07pm Thu 15 Sep 11
live in westcliff wrote:Whitstable is tidal so that won't work!
Cultural centre? what is that all about?! It will be nice to see something at the end of the pier but I'm afraid a cultural centre will be a damp squid! Personally, I think what would go down well would be a nice cafe, a nice bistro/restaurant and the option of doing boat trips to a variety of places. Why not do some sort of novelty package idea where you could sail to Whitstable, stay overnight at a B and B and sail back the following day. Maybe sail to Kent and take a shuttle to Rochester to visit for the day - just ideas but feel eating and entertainment and actually use the Pier for what it was built for - regular boat trips. Additionally I don't see a problem with the odd ride being on the Pier - that's what is on Clacton and Brighton and their piers are thriving......
SARFENDMAN
says...
3:23pm Thu 15 Sep 11
Pounder wrote:Who says they are going there? Probably visiting the life-boat station. Definitely not the cafe unless things have changed drastically by then.
I think the 'artists impression' above, accurately reflects the number of visitors per day this thing will get.
geezer, innit
says...
4:58pm Thu 15 Sep 11
SARFENDMAN wrote:they've only gone to feed the bluddy ruddy turnstones
Pounder wrote: I think the 'artists impression' above, accurately reflects the number of visitors per day this thing will get.Who says they are going there? Probably visiting the life-boat station. Definitely not the cafe unless things have changed drastically by then.
Ivanna Goodhump
says...
6:34pm Thu 15 Sep 11
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This is a £3m white elephant in the making which will just be a handy windbreak for the fishermen for 10 months of the year.
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This is yet another rushed/botched plan from our Council who seem to think that being seen to be doing something is more important than the outcome. You would have thought they would have learned the lessons of the "Patio from Hell", Sh1tty Beach and the hundreds of other museums, galleries, cultural centres built by other Council's that are failing and closing down.
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Building anything on the basis of "build it and they will come" is a phallacy.
f56r78
says...
12:20am Fri 16 Sep 11
Ivanna Goodhump wrote:"Building anything on the basis of "build it and they will come" is a phallacy."
Seems to me that English Heritage have their heads screwed on and our Councillors don't.
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This is a £3m white elephant in the making which will just be a handy windbreak for the fishermen for 10 months of the year.
~
This is yet another rushed/botched plan from our Council who seem to think that being seen to be doing something is more important than the outcome. You would have thought they would have learned the lessons of the "Patio from Hell", Sh1tty Beach and the hundreds of other museums, galleries, cultural centres built by other Council's that are failing and closing down.
~
Building anything on the basis of "build it and they will come" is a phallacy.
Yes, but we all know that the Council is a 'dicktatorship' ;-)
belfairs says...
8:45am Thu 15 Sep 11