The Conservatives, like Midsomer Norton's Chris Watt, not being represented in Radstock, have not had that much to say about the NRR proposals for the railway lands in the town centre. He has not been impressed by the slow progress of NRR. Following the strong public opposition to the 200-plus homes planned for the site and the almost universal opposition to the re-routing of the main roads, he realised it was not enough to criticise NRR but was necessary to come up with an alternative, - Plan B.

Plan B is based on figures from a report prepared for NRR itself, which had to be prised out of B&NES Council by Cllr Watt using the new Freedom of Information Act powers. Chris is not a lone Councillor with plans for the site, others say that there are sympathetic developers in the background who would bring forward alternative schemes, as part of a bigger development picture for Radstock and land to the north of the Town centre, if NRR's application fails to win planning permission.

Chris Watt says: "Everyone will be aware of the plans that NRR have submitted and the growing dissatisfaction with those plans in the Norton Radstock area. It is too easy to dismiss the parish poll even though more people voted against the plans in that poll than voted for many Councillors now serving on B&NES. The Town Council have also now voted against the plans and the Chamber of Commerce are due, later this month, to debate a motion from their retail board opposing the plans.

"I have already expressed my reservation about those plans. I am now putting forward an alternative strategy.

"There are three themes that have repeated themselves throughout all the consultation exercises that have been carried out over the past eight years:

1. That house building is a necessary part of the regeneration of Radstock.

2. That the re-introduction of rail should feature in the regeneration.

3. That the Victoria Hall should be the focal point for civic and community activity in Radstock.

"Whilst it is true that a never-ending wish list of worthy projects have been developed and that taken together, make up an impressive scheme, but they remain questionable in their value in regeneration terms.

"In order to pay for this wish list, NRR and SRB before them, have sought to drive up the numbers of houses. In real regeneration terms, i.e. what will the people of Radstock do afterwards, rather than simply what Radstock looks like, the house building itself provides for nothing.

"House building should be an enabling means, not an end in itself. NRR do not seem to understand this. Ask yourselves, what will have been enabled by NRR's plans other than the possibility that you might, just might, drive through faster than you can today.

"Alongside this NRR have dismissed the re-introduction of rail as being unfeasible, citing a consultant's report that they commissioned in 2003. A report that I believe they have sought to suppress and despite many requests, refused to release. I have acquired a copy of this report from the Council using the Freedom of Information Act.

NRR tried to restrict the release of this report citing commercial confidentiality.

"I believe the real reason is that they may have wished to suppress the report's clear indication that whilst the re-introduction of commercial rail is questionable in the short to medium term, heritage rail is quite possible. The report goes into some detail about the viability of heritage rail proving the basis upon which to make a financial assessment of it. I have used the costs in this report, along with some simple assumptions, and conclude that heritage rail is a viable option that should be pursued.

"At a top level this would involve building up to 100 houses, within which the Council's target, 35% affordable houses can be met. £500,000 of the planning gain will be invested in bringing the Victoria Hall up to 21st century standards.

After capital costs, project management, restoring the line, building a station and subsidising operations for three years, etc. there is still a profit.

"A heritage rail offering in Radstock will deliver thousands of volunteer hours, create at least ten jobs at the railway, complement the local Museum and form a key part of an enhanced tourism offer attracting 25 - 30,000 visitors each year to Radstock. I believe this to be real regeneration.

"With NRR's plans so far out of tune with local opinion and B&NES local plan, I believe it is critical that a Plan B emerges. I put forward this plan and will ask the Council to take immediate action to review both NRR's objectives and the site's planning brief," concluded Cllr Watt.

 

R4U comment:

- Whatever your political orientation may be, you should consider putting some serious effort behind cllr Watt's initiative, in order that sanity may prevail and future generations may find themselves with a worthwhile legacy on their hands, rather than a latter day housing slum . . .