Group’s objection to masterplan proposals
THE Friends of Queen’s Park group has raised strong objections to controversial town proposals – which include the building of a three-storey apartment block, right next door to the award-winning Loughborough beauty spot.
The Friends is a volunteer group devoted to the care and protection of the park.
In a special letter to the Echo, chair Julie Strong, writing on behalf of the group, says that proposals included in the new draft Town Centre Masterplan show a “complete disregard of the park’s worth, “historical value, and the health and well-being benefits that it provides to the people of Loughborough.”
The masterplan has been designed to help shape the future of Loughborough town centre for the next 15 years.
A study commissioned by Charnwood Borough Council has set out a number of proposals to develop the town centre and ensure its viability and vitality which have been the subject of a two month public consultation.
The main concerns for the Friends group regard possible development in the neighbouring Granby Street car park and the creation of a cycle route through the park itself.
The Granby Street car park proposals include:
• A three storey residential apartment block overlooking Queen’s Park.
• The middle section of the car park could be redeveloped for town houses and a new pedestrian route created from Devonshire Lane to Queen’s Park.
In the letter Julie Strong says: “We oppose the proposal to sell off a large portion of the popular, profitable and well-placed Granby Street car park for the building of apartments and mews as this will have a huge detrimental effect on the park.
“The three-storey building with, we presume, a high-pitched roof to accommodate a lift, will tower above the park and sit uncomfortably on the boundary with no buffer zone between the two.
“The apartment windows (to enjoy the view?) will give park users an uncomfortable feeling of intrusion by the owners’ ability to view their activities and directly overlook the children’s playground which is totally unacceptable.”
With regards to the proposed cycle path the letter adds: “It will cut an intrusive new pathway across the park incongruous with the nature and history.
“We see from the plans it will run through the rear of the children’s playground across the New Street entrance to the park and through the British Legion Memorial site. This is neither a safe or acceptable option.”
Charnwood Borough Council has made a statement regarding the letter saying: “The masterplan sets out a number of proposals to develop the town centre to help build a better future for Loughborough so it can continue to grow and thrive.
“We have set out a number of proposals including making the town centre more pedestrian friendly and providing better links between key areas including Loughborough University, the railway station and the parks.
“However, these are only proposals at this stage, and our consultation gave people the opportunity to tell us what they think before any decisions are made.
“The consultation has now closed and we will be looking at all comments received, including those by the Friends of Queen’s Park, as part of the next stage of the process.”