Lib Dems Welcome Rejection of Riverside Monstrosity

3.35.25pm GMT Tue 22nd May 2007

Michael Headley and Bedford Borough Lib Dems have attacked the proposed Riverside Square development and welcomed its rejection by the Council's Planning Committee

Lib Dems on Bedford Borough Council have slammed the proposed Riverside Square development in Bedford and welcomed its rejection by the Council's Planning Committee last night.

Commenting on the issue, Bedford Borough Liberal Democrat Group Leader Michael Headley said:

"There is no question that Riverside Square is a prime site for a high quality, signature development, but the proposal put forward just isn't it. '

"The sheer scale of the proposed building was massively out of proportion with the surroundings, and would have dwarfed nearby buildings such as the seven storey Town Hall office building and County Hall. In fact, it would have been one and a half times the height of the Town Hall office block and almost as tall as St Paul's Church Spire.'

"Both the style and size of the building would have overwhelmed, rather than enhanced, the existing character of Bedford Town Centre, and I would agree with English Heritage's views on the damaging effect the design would have had on the riverside, perhaps the town's greatest and most characteristic asset. Practical issues such as the lack of social housing, in breach of Council policy, and the potential for increasing parking problems in the town centre and nearby residential areas further weakened the plans put forward.'

"Fortunately, the Council has avoided a situation where future residents and visitors would have looked at this oversized, unsustainable monstrosity and asked "who on earth allowed that to be built?""