Controversial Rawtenstall street lights removed after complaints from heritage group
2:00pm Tuesday 23rd October 2012 in News
By Chris Adams
Workers put back traditional lampposts. Photo: Peter Wood Photography
CONTROVERSIAL new street lights in Rawtenstall town centre have been removed after complaints by heritage campaigners.
Two lights in Bank Street were taken down after Rossendale Council received negative feedback.
They were put in place last month in time for the opening of the new town square on the former Valley Centre site, but were met with stern opposition from Rossendale Civic Trust and some councillors.
Conservative councillors were critical of the lights, saying their style contravened the council’s own conservation guidelines.
Rossendale Civic Trust said it was pleased that the council had chosen to do away with the new lights in favour of retaining the original ones, which were funded by an English Heritage project in the 1990s.
A spokesperson said: “Rossendale Civic Trust are delighted that following the efforts of the Trust, among many others, Rossendale Borough Council has decided not to pursue the replacement of the existing heritage-friendly lighting columns on Bank Street with the new standard twin lights of additional height, that would look extremely incongruous within the Conservation Area.
“The existing lights were funded by English Heritage to enhance the appearance of the Conservation Area and the Trust believes that the invest-ment was a good one and cont-inues to benefit the town.”
The Trust added that it is also concerned that the remaining lights surrounding the square are not providing adequate visibility.
County Coun Tony Winder branded the u-turn ‘a waste of public money’.
He said: “I’m happy about the removal of the lights, but the truth is that they should never have been up in the first place.
“There appears to have been a degree of confusion between councillors and the council officers regarding what is best for the town centre.
“There are still other lights around the square that need addressing.”
Comments(10)
midas
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3:23pm Tue 23 Oct 12
bluebouy
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3:24pm Tue 23 Oct 12
GHH
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3:47pm Tue 23 Oct 12
JayEss
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4:08pm Tue 23 Oct 12
Why don't the councillors deal with the important things instead of wasting our money on this?
MerlinTheVoiceofReason2
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9:08pm Tue 23 Oct 12
herethereandeverywhere
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9:35pm Wed 24 Oct 12
MerlinTheVoiceofReasI can only imagine that cuts have caused this really awful job. But even cuts are no real excuse. I mean, they have been trying to get rid of the Valley Centre for over a decade. That is over a decade to plan for what to do with the space.
on2 wrote:
The boarded up Valley centre was hideous but the new square lacks any quality or character. What was the Council thinking? I sincerely hope an architect wasn't paid good money to design that! A primary school child could have done better. There's no form or structure - and the random strips of tarmac (some sloping for no apparent reason) are truly ugly. Was this cobbled together on the back of an envelope over a few pints?
Suddenly it is gone and all they can manage is something looks like an empty car park? It is truly horrible. Even a child would have thought - okay, grass it and have paths leading from the centre circle to the outside.
It is almost funny. Here was a wonderful opportunity to create a green space which would have complimented Bank Street and become a place where seniors, shoppers and local office workers would have gladly sat for lunch or a break.
Anybody seen people sitting there yet? No. Why? Because who wants to eat lunch in a carpark?
pdb951
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9:41pm Wed 24 Oct 12
Eye On The Valley
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12:08am Thu 25 Oct 12
not taken in Rossendale
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7:05pm Thu 25 Oct 12
herethereandeverywheThe site will be developed within the next two/three years so spending more money would have been a waste.
re wrote:
MerlinTheVoiceofReasI can only imagine that cuts have caused this really awful job. But even cuts are no real excuse. I mean, they have been trying to get rid of the Valley Centre for over a decade. That is over a decade to plan for what to do with the space.
on2 wrote:
The boarded up Valley centre was hideous but the new square lacks any quality or character. What was the Council thinking? I sincerely hope an architect wasn't paid good money to design that! A primary school child could have done better. There's no form or structure - and the random strips of tarmac (some sloping for no apparent reason) are truly ugly. Was this cobbled together on the back of an envelope over a few pints?
Suddenly it is gone and all they can manage is something looks like an empty car park? It is truly horrible. Even a child would have thought - okay, grass it and have paths leading from the centre circle to the outside.
It is almost funny. Here was a wonderful opportunity to create a green space which would have complimented Bank Street and become a place where seniors, shoppers and local office workers would have gladly sat for lunch or a break.
Anybody seen people sitting there yet? No. Why? Because who wants to eat lunch in a carpark?
GIBUCK says...
3:18pm Tue 23 Oct 12