A MULTI-million £ plan to transform Warrington’s run-down Bank Park into one of the finest town centre parks in the UK is being held up by the recession.
The “Golden Gardens” scheme depends on private sector involvement, through development of a number of council-owned sites in the area around the park.
But Town Hall chiefs have been told that in the current economic and property market conditions, there is no development value in any of the sites to contribute to improvements to the park.
The plan was first unveiled by the council a year ago, when councillors were told it was expected to take up to 12 months to find a private sector partner to finance the scheme.
In fact, no partner has yet been identified and next week, the council’s executive board will be asked to approve a supplementary planning document to help progress a competitive dialogue process to select a development partner.
The document, if approved, will go out for consultation for six weeks with a view for final adoption in July.
In a report to the board, Coun Bob Barr, (pictured) executive director for planning and regeneration, says: “It is envisaged that it will be at a future date, when property funding and economic conditions improve, that the scheme will become financially viable.”
A year ago, councillors were told the enhanced park would help provide the town centre with a new “gateway”, linking Bank Quay and Central stations, improving the setting of the Town Hall and providing a tasteful redevelopment of the Garven Place clinic site
The project is also seen as a means of enhancing the vitality of Sankey Street, providing pedestrian routes to Golden Square and Sankey Street and providing a contemporary park which will be a venue for outdoor events, festivals and other activities.
New homes, jobs and “hospitality uses” are envisaged for the Garven Place site
But the cost of the overall scheme would be beyond the means of the council and a private sector partner would be needed to pay for the development and take the risks. The council would contribute its ownership of the land to be developed.
3 Comments
Indeed it is true that the present economic climate is putting developments ‘on hold’, however the time is not wasted. Warrington is widely regarded, as evidenced by the recent Centre for Cities report, as one of the most economically successful towns in the country and, particularly, in the North. We have a higher paid and more highly skilled workforce and a higher level of employment than most comparable towns. We still have the advantages of a well-connected central location and there are still investors who are very interested in the town.
What we do not have is a town centre of a scale and quality that reflects that success. During the present downturn planning and discussions are continuing to take place with potential investors to ensure that when the economy starts to recover we won’t have to settle for low quality regeneration at any cost. We will be able to select those schemes and those partners who will provide the quality developments, the quality jobs and the quality environment that a town of Warrington’s status deserves.
Cllr Bob Barr
Executive Board Member – Planning and Regeneration
One idea could be to tarmac Bank Park, turn it in to a car park and use it as revenue earner? This would be easy to maintain and less of a drain on resources buying flowers and cutting grass every year?
“providing a contemporary park which will be a venue for outdoor events, festivals and other activities.” “contemporary” ……..now thats a worrying little word! ……when used by this council it seems to translate as “money making”…….and horrible images of ferris wheels and such spring to mind. Thankfully the recession will hold things up, at least until after May!