I think that it is very important that the Co-op store on the Robin Hood Chase should remain open, and that the Co-op managers have a change of heart.
There will be a Protest gathering outside the store at 4pm on Friday 9th November, we will all do our best to achieve this.
Website Manager
Mr Richard Pearson
42 Bellevue Court
Nottingham NG3 3NA
Email stonebridge54b@hotmail.co.uk
Development Management
City Planning
Loxley House
Station Street
Nottingham NG2 3NG
7th November 2012
Dear Sir,
Outline Planning Application 2010, the Robin Hood Chase
I am writing in support of all of the remaining Shop Keepers on the Robin Hood Chase, who feel very frustrated by the way St Ann’s Ward councillors have let them all down in recent years, by not spending any money on the shops or the Robin Hood Chase itself. Everyone has also been badly let down by some of the Project Managers responsible for the Robin Hood Chase Regeneration scheme, who have managed to turn the project into a complete shambles.
Above everything else, I am writing in support of everyone living near the Robin Hood Chase today who has come to rely upon the Co-op store being open, and serving our local community over the last 40 years. Many of these locals are either disabled, in poor health or elderly, and have difficulty travelling into Nottingham City Centre to do their regular shopping.
I sincerely hope that the Management of the Chase Co-op will reverse their decision, and keep the store open for the foreseeable future. I want to encourage the Co-op Management to allow their store to remain open while they enter into meaningful negotiations with Nottingham City Council to seek a solution, which will allow the store to remain open for the best part of 2013.
For the main part of my letter I am very critical of Nottingham City Council.
Read more of this letter by clicking ‘Read More’ –>
I am deeply concerned about the 2010 Outline Planning Application for the Robin Hood Chase Shopping precinct, because it is very damaging to the local economy. And the Project Managers at Nottingham City council have not consulted the remaining shop keepers, and have deliberately kept everyone ‘in the dark.’
The only money spent on the Robin Hood chase shops was £1.5m provided by Nottingham City Challenge in 1995. This was when The Chase was a vibrant area in the heart of St Ann’s, and well used by the local community. There was some vandalism and antisocial behaviour at this time; however, it was being kept under control by the Police & City Council initiatives.
When the Chase Neighbourhood Centre was built, and opened in the middle of the Robin Hood Chase Shopping precinct in 1997, this monstrosity caused irreparable damage to all of commercial units in Zone 3. The St Ann’s Library, Co-op, Pink Elephant, Post Office, Fish bar and laundrette were left isolated on the north side of the precinct from that of the south. These commercial units were all hidden from view by the big wooden hut, and there-after the number of customers declined significantly.
All of the frequently used shops, hidden behind the neighbourhood Centre in Zone 2B, including the Hairdressers, lost all of their customers and closed down. These commercial units have never been viable units since 2000, and have been given rent/rates free to local charities. This was a scandalous situation. I am not saying the neighbourhood Centre should not have been built; rather, it was built in the wrong place due to the 1996 planning blunder of Nottingham City council.
In my opinion, the commercial units on the south side of the Robin Hood Chase Precinct were more popular than the northern units, because the Chase pub was a big attraction for many local residents. The Chase has always been used for family gatherings, and well behaved parties following weddings or christenings at the nearby St Ann with Emmanuel Church. It was therefore a significant planning blunder by Nottingham City council to close down this pub, and demolish the building merely to turn the site into a small car park. This was very damaging to the economic success of the Robin Hood Chase.
The loss of the Chase pub was also the final ‘nail in the coffin’, and a potent symbol of the rapid loss of other St Ann’s pubs: The Beacon, The Wishing Well, Pint & Pot, and Dame Agnes Mellor’s, so that today (2012), only three remain open. The closure of the Chase Pub was therefore a disaster for St Ann’s.
During the St Ann’s slum clearance programme of 1972, a whole town of 10,000 Victorian houses, 55 pubs, 300 shops along St Ann’s Well Road, six churches, and community centres, were all demolished – all lost. This was a considerable planning blunder by Nottingham City Council because the authority destroyed the social & economic structure of St Ann’s Ward. Few facilities were put back in place when Wimpey's built our new neighbourhood.
The Marple Square shopping precinct suffered crime & antisocial behaviour due to bad planning. St Ann’s Councillors then decided to shut the precinct down rather then spend any money on it, or support the local shop keepers. Soon after, the flats/houses nearby had to be demolished too, and the land was regenerated during the Phase 10 Scheme. Therefore all of the shops on the west side of St Ann’s Ward were all lost as a result.
In January 2012 all that remained in St Ann’s Ward were 3 pubs, The Westminster, St Ann’s Inn & the Sycamore. Three corner shops; one in Robin Hood Street, Alison Walk, and another in St Ann’s Well Road opposite St Catherine’s Church. Two community centres: Blue Bell Hill and the Chase Neighbourhood Centre, and the remaining shops on the Robin Hood Chase.
Since 2010, Project Managers responsible for the Robin Hood Chase shopping precinct have made a mess of it! Their plans have not been thought through. Over the last 12 months they have completely failed to consult with local shop keepers; have not taken into consideration the frail social & economic structure of St Ann’s; and have employed poor planning design & concept.
While the Co-op had indicated they would like to build a new store in Zone 2A, and local shop keepers have said they would also like new commercial premises their, Project Managers have not entered into discussions with anyone. Their cliché is constantly “it’s commercially sensitive.”
Today this intransigence has resulted in the Management of the Co-op deciding to close down its Chase store on 17th November, after serving our St Ann’s community for 40 years; the store opened in 1972.
From 17th November, there will only be four general shops left in St Ann’s Ward, along side the Chase Fish Bar, St Ann’s Post office, a chemist, the Pink Elephant shop and Bookies.
If this situation is not bad enough, these ‘balmy’ Project Managers want to demolish the whole of the Robin Hood Chase commercial units during 2013, leaving no shops in the heart of St Ann’s Ward until new shop units are built in Zone 2A ready for use in 2015!
They have got no idea what they intend to build in place of the old Wellspring Health Centre at the entrance of the Robin Hood Chase. The Project Managers of the Robin Hood Chase Regeneration Scheme have not consulted anyone about this, and have constantly kept local shop keepers and residents ‘in the dark.’
One thing is clear, the small number of commercial units planned for Zone 2A on the Chase, will do very little to improve the economic structure of St Ann’s. The end result will be yet another serious planning blunder by Nottingham City Council.
In my opinion both Zones 2A and 2B should be made available for new shops, commercial units. There should be no office building put on any of these sites, and the Chase Neighbourhood Centre is well suited to provide refreshments from their own indoor café.
The entrance into the Chase neighbourhood Centre should be from the south side, for easy access for locals walking up the Robin Hood Chase from St Ann’s Well Road; as the current western entrance is trouble-some and unsuitable.
In my opinion, in 2013 the first demolition phase should begin with Loxley House, and the old Well Spring Health Centre. Nothing further should be done until new shops are built on the Health Centre site, and open for public use.
The Second Phase should be the demolition of the first block of commercial units that presently houses the Chemist & General store, and maisonettes above the shops. In addition the second structure contained in Zone 2 B should be demolished at the same time. These facilities should all be replaced by new shops, which should be given a major priority for the heart of St Ann’s.
I believe Zone 3 should remain unchanged and utilised for the construction of social houses with access from Aster Road via Hunger Hill Road.
St Ann’s Councillor Dave Liversidge is a portfolio holder at Nottingham City Council & use to be Director of Housing. Presently David has a responsibility for Regeneration & Communities. Therefore he is very experienced indeed. While St Ann’s councillor Jon Collins is also the Leader of Nottingham City Council.
I would like to encourage them both to hold a series of crisis meetings over the next seven weeks to sort this ‘mess’ out, and help to prevent the present situation turning into another planning blunder which will be very damaging to the St Ann’s economy.
In my opinion the social and economic structure needs to be significantly improved. There should be more shops opening up around St Ann’s, more community facilities for young adults to keep them occupied and out of trouble, and more pubs & social facilities for local residents to enjoy.
To begin with, our councillors could take a look at the shop at the top of Luther Close, and have it opened up for the benefit of local residents. This general store has been closed for almost 23 years, and is urgently needed to be open right now to serve the local community following the imminent closure of the Chase Co-op.
I apologise for the length of this letter, but I feel very passionate about St Ann’s & I want our neighbourhood to be a really nice area in which to live.
Yours sincerely
Richard Pearson
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