Southgate, Churchill Bridge etc
The redevelopment of Southgate, the horrible 60's shopping centre at the bottom of town is to start shortly and is causing heated debate. The most controversial issue is the planned demolition of the 1930's building Churchill House to be replaced by the new bus station.
Now I have to admit that I think Churchill Bridge is an ugly building. Part of the 30s mock Georgian revival it has a very blocky, heavy looking exterior. Very depressing in my view.
Whether it should be replaced by a new bus station is another matter. Has anyone ever seen an attractive bus station?
The redevelopment of Southgate is seen as very important to Bath. Personally I can't imagine the development really improving anything much. A collection of high street shops looks pretty much the same whatever the buildings they are contained in. What is missing from this development is some vision. There is no doubt that Bath has fallen behind as other cities have undertaken major redevelopments. Portsmouth, Cardiff, Plymouth, Newcastle, Birmignham etc etc have all improved their city centre environments greatly with innovative developments.
What is noticable with those developments, however, is how natural features, particularly the sea or a river form the centre piece of the development. At portmouth there are splendid views over the sea from the Spinnaker tower and in most other cities wonderful new foot bridges over rivers and harbours. As far as I can make out the Southgate redevelopment fails to reverse the Bath policy of turning its back on the River Avon.
Often, as I am walking my dog along the shabby path alongside the river I feel so sorry for those tourists taking a boat trip along the river Avon in Bath. What do they get to see, after leaving Pulney Bridge behind? The back of the railway station, a timber yard, the vast, overgrown wasteland of the Western Riverside, the refuse collection centre, the gas works?
Surely we can do better than this with this wonderful River. The river, not the new bus station should be the centre of any redevelopment of Southgate.
Now I have to admit that I think Churchill Bridge is an ugly building. Part of the 30s mock Georgian revival it has a very blocky, heavy looking exterior. Very depressing in my view.
Whether it should be replaced by a new bus station is another matter. Has anyone ever seen an attractive bus station?
The redevelopment of Southgate is seen as very important to Bath. Personally I can't imagine the development really improving anything much. A collection of high street shops looks pretty much the same whatever the buildings they are contained in. What is missing from this development is some vision. There is no doubt that Bath has fallen behind as other cities have undertaken major redevelopments. Portsmouth, Cardiff, Plymouth, Newcastle, Birmignham etc etc have all improved their city centre environments greatly with innovative developments.
What is noticable with those developments, however, is how natural features, particularly the sea or a river form the centre piece of the development. At portmouth there are splendid views over the sea from the Spinnaker tower and in most other cities wonderful new foot bridges over rivers and harbours. As far as I can make out the Southgate redevelopment fails to reverse the Bath policy of turning its back on the River Avon.
Often, as I am walking my dog along the shabby path alongside the river I feel so sorry for those tourists taking a boat trip along the river Avon in Bath. What do they get to see, after leaving Pulney Bridge behind? The back of the railway station, a timber yard, the vast, overgrown wasteland of the Western Riverside, the refuse collection centre, the gas works?
Surely we can do better than this with this wonderful River. The river, not the new bus station should be the centre of any redevelopment of Southgate.
posted by www.loial.co.uk at 3:37 AM
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