Item from BBC News:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-15156229
Congratulations to the councillors in Canterbury who had the vision and determination to see this project through to a successful conclusion.
In Tunbridge Wells we have had months of dithering, the Conservative Group falling out very publicly over the regeneration issue, a Tory councillor taking circumstantial evidence of alleged criminal activity to the police and being told there was nothing to investigate and the Liberal Democrats playing party politics with no consideration for the long-term needs of the Borough.
A suggestion that the town hall and adjoining civic buildings should be demolished as they are no longer fit for purpose has produced heated debate.
A letter writer to the local newspaper (The Courier) complained that an article in the Friends of the Common newsletter suggests that the Methodist Church should be preserved at all costs and concentrates on form rather than function as the determining factor. The Methodists wish to demolish the building which it is claimed is not longer fit for purpose and replace it with a building that will be multi-user, including worship. The final section of the letter is worth setting out in full:
Do we really want Tunbridge Wells to be known for its collection of crumbling, dilapidated buildings? This building may be an imposing edifice but it is not an asset in anyone's book.
As ever in planning matters, those who want to preserve the past do not want to make any financial contribution to the cost of upkeep and maintenance. Why then are we always opposed to the prospect of taking a step forward and creating new heritage assets that will serve today's community?
I concur fully with the sentiments expressed by the letter writer, which could and should be applied equally to the issue of the future of the civic complex.
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