"Lifestyle living" sites?
 

OK. So the council have now announced proposals for a new three year plan for the regeneration of Accrington Town centre.

But before you all get too excited remember this is an HBC plan, so it is going to be long on smart phrases and buzz words, very long actually. But when it comes down to concrete proposals it seems pretty mundane, not to say tame, and merely reflects what they should have been doing for the last thirty years anyway.

To quote Michelle McKenna, writing in the Observer (p19) the plan contains the following stunning new initiatives "Key objectives are to strengthen the town's retail position, to enhance the quality of the environment, to improve access, movement and transport, to promote investment and business development and to become a visitor destination."

As I said, nothing they should not already have been doing for the last thirty years.

But Ms McKenna goes on " Strategy proposals put forward for Accrington town centre include identifying possible sites for 'lifestyle living' in the town centre, developing a tourism strategy and providing better facilities for visitors, including accommodation, restaurants and conference provision, expanding the quality of shopping on offer and developing Accringtons evening economy."

What does all that mean? Well the accommodation and conference provision will be covered by the redevelopment of the former Skill Centre on Eagle Street which the council are planning to buy. "developing Accrington's evening economy" means handing out a handful of 24 hour drinking licenses. How they are going to persuade quality retailers to move into the town centre is beyond me. It strikes me that if Accrington was such a good business prospect retailers would actually be banging on the door already, not limping away bruised, battered and broke.

This insistence on turning Accrington into a tourist destination baffles me. And as for Lifestyle living - well, words fail me.

Re: "Lifestyle living" sites?
 

Re: "Lifestyle living" sites?
 

Like so many of HBC's "lofty" ambitions all this is dependent on a mixture of government grants and european handouts. According to their own reading of their financial position it will be the end of next year (2006) before thay have anything like a few coppers jingling in their pocket, and then only if eveything goes according to plan and there are no unforseen circumstances - like a change of government or a crash in the housing market or the stock exchange.

Re: "Lifestyle living" sites?
 

They actually estimate that it will cost £2.5 million to complete the transfer of the Market Hall. The actual receipts for the transfer will be £3 million. The difference of £0.5 million could very well be eaten up by increases in costs by the time the transfer is completed. So HBC are not betting on any contribution to the budget as a result of the transfer.

For more details read the Corporate Performance Plan on the HBC website.

http://www.hyndburnbc.gov.uk/Your_Co...ce/corplan.pdf

Be patient, it is 100 pages long and takes an age to download, even on broadband!

Re: "Lifestyle living" sites?
 

Re: "Lifestyle living" sites?
 

It is current. Which is, I think, all that can be said for it. It does however contain quite a lot of useful sticks with which to beat the council, if you are any good at reading between the lines.

Re: "Lifestyle living" sites?
 

Re: "Lifestyle living" sites?
 

You'll also need a stiff gin! Happy reading!

Re: "Lifestyle living" sites?
 

Re: "Lifestyle living" sites?
 

Blimey HBC are rather ambitious with their ideas just shame nowt but f-ups actually happen, who'd be wanting to spend a week in accy [as much as i love me town] than somewhere in the lake district. Theres nowt much in accy for locals nevermind tourists apart from the usual fri nite brawls oh n a trip to Oak Hill Park zoo. They have the Globe Centre hospitality rooms n hotel facilities n i bet they barely fill them so why another.

HBC - off with the fairies again !

Re: "Lifestyle living" sites?
 

Errm, the last time I was in Oak Hill Park all the animals were gone, apart from the usual human ones that is. I think there might still be a couple of ducks around but that is as far as it goes.

Re: "Lifestyle living" sites?
 

Oh i went about 2 yrs ago n there was still the goats, budgies, rabbits n ducks plus the odd wild squirrel or 2 or dozen lol

Re: "Lifestyle living" sites?
 

We saw a squirrel today that looked like a cross between a grey and a red - but that's a thread wander.

What exactly is "lifestyle living"?

Re: "Lifestyle living" sites?
 

lifestyle living?!?!?!? ...havent a clue what that means nor what it is, i just seem to be only exsisting atm lol

Re: "Lifestyle living" sites?