Gary's views

Gary's weekly views

Each week an article by Gary has appeared in the Plympton Plymstock and Ivybridge News in South West Devon. The articles are published here

Plymouth

Whether you are reading this in your suburban semi, or a cob-walled cottage in the middle of your rural idyll, the future of city of Plymouth has significance for your life. For the 500,000 of us who live in it’s gravitational pull it is our economic engine room, primary shopping centre and cultural and leisure hotspot. It is in all of our interests to have a thriving City.

For the past ten years at least that has not been the case. Many of us have become increasing frustrated at the absence of vision, leadership or sense of momentum of our urban neighbour. But are there now signs, the first green shoots perhaps, that this long dark tunnel of under-achievement may be coming to an end?

I sat on the optimistically named City-Centre Regeneration Sub Committee in the late 1980’s when we signed off with great expectation projects to re-develop the Burton’s building, Colin Campbell Court and Drake Circus. These premier projects were going to reshape our city. Not one of them happened.

But now there are renewed rumblings of revival. The bulldozers have moved into the Drake Circus mega-scheme.

Planning permission has been granted for prestigious projects on the Hoe, Coburg Street and in other parts of the City Centre. The Mackey plan has received broad cross-party support for it’s exciting rebranding of our streets and buildings.

There are more cranes on the skyline than I can ever remember. New businesses are being attracted to the business parks and industrial estates. Professionals throughout the city sense the stirrings of renaissance.

Could it be at last that our sleeping giant is about to arise and seize its potential?

The City Council, of course, must be the catalyst, and there, some signs of encouragement are peeping through at last. A new group of senior officers is gathering that can provide much needed leadership to this vital task. The leading politicians from both parties embrace this need for change and for once the full-time officers seem capable of delivery.

There is much work to do and some very real obstacles remain as the city plays years of catch-up.

Not only is a rejuvenated city good for its own residents and crucial for the whole region, it will also take the development pressure off its green hinterland. A vibrant city will be a place where people want to live, work and visit, leaving the rural belt in peace. The best of both worlds!

What do you think? mail@garystreeter.co.uk

posted by Nigel on Saturday, March 06, 2004