Hinckley Civic Society

Bus Station development

2007-11-25T18:31:00.000Z

How do you feel about the planned development on the bus station site in town? Is the ideas as reported in HT 22/11 a good idea or a bad idea? Use this weblog to have your say

Coventry Road development

2007-11-25T18:18:00.000Z

Not affected by the Brodrick Road development? Perhaps you are affected by the proposed industrial development opposite to Trinity Marina. Use this web log to have your say

Morris Homes development

2007-11-25T17:00:00.000Z

Morris Homes have submitted plans to build new homes on a public open space on Brodrick Road. HBBC officers say that the money raised will be used to refurbish the nearby Langdale Road Recreation Ground. Morris Homes had previously submitted plans to redevelop the Atkins Building in Bond Street. No matter what happens someone will lose. How do you feel about the situation? Use this weblog to have your say

Hinckley Rail Service

2007-11-25T15:39:00.000Z

Hinckley Civic Society is backing the campaign to get Arriva to improve the rail service through Hinckley. Our vice-chairman has written to Arriva urging them to increase the number of trains calling at Hinckley Station. We also need to increase the number services that interconnect with Hinckley trains at Nuneaton and Leicester by lobbying Virgin Trains and Midland Mainline.

Arriva can be contacted at

Arriva External Relations,
Cross Country Mobilisation Team
5th Floor, 43 Temple Row,
Birmingham
B2 5LS

info@crosscountrytrains.co.uk

Royal Dragon

2007-11-07T20:32:00.000Z

Aldi have demolished the unique Chinese restaurant on their car park to make a bigger car park, but their car park is never full !!!!!!

Hinckley Post Office

2007-04-26T10:37:00.000Z

Our first intimation of the plan was an email from Bob Gibson at the end of last week saying:

"I note from a feature in one of today's broadsheets that Hinckley GPO is one of seventy such Crown post offices likely to be transferred to W.H.Smith operation."

My feelings are summed up thus. For as long as I have lived in the area, Hinckley General Post Office along with the other buildings on both sides of the road that run up to the Market Place have been part of what I regarded as part of the historical heritage of Hinckley.

Cllr. David Bill put it a little more eloquently:

"Having been involved in opposing this move on about 4 previous occasions I would very much welcome the Society taking a stand on this. Station Road is an under-appreciated gem from the HSBC building all along to the Post Office on one side and St Marys School and the old library and Council offices on the other. We should be calling for the whole street to be given special status."

Hugh Beavin comments on the architectural contribution of the building to Hinckley:

"Hinckley Post Office is a magnificent example of the early Edwardian architecture which is a feature of this part of Station Road and should clearly be preserved as a part of that area as a whole. It is also important that it continues to function as a Post Office as it has done for over a century. The Post Office is an iconic part of Hinckley's communication heritage."

All this leaves aside the inconvenience to the general public that will be caused by moving the Post Office to halfway up Castle Street. My mother was 97 when she died last year, and was confined to a wheelchair. Could I suggest that anybody who thinks that moving the Post Office is a good idea, try pushing a wheelchair and occupant from the existing Post Office to W H Smiths' premises. Or try another scenario - you are of advanced years with a double hip replacement and walk with a stick and a limp - compare the effort of walking from the Bus Station to the Post Office with the effort of walking from the Bus Station to W H Smiths - need I say more.

Howard Wilkins on behalf of the Trustees of the Hinckley Civic Society

Humphry Repton and Argents Mead

2007-04-26T09:19:00.000Z

I found the following objections from Humphry Repton, the famous 18th Century landscape gardener, regarding "modern gardening" in his collected writings that might refer to Argents Mead.

"Objection No.1

There is no error more prevalent in modern gardening, or more frequently carried to excess, than taking away hedges to unite many small fields into one extensive and naked lawn, before plantations are made to give it the appearance of a park; and where ground is subdivided by sunk fences, imaginary freedom is dearly purchased at the expense of actual confinement.

No.2

The baldness and nakedness round the house is part of the same mistaken system, of concealing fences to gain extent. A palace, or even an elegant villa, in a grass field appears to me incongruous; yet I have seldom had sufficient influence to correct this common error"

(John Claudius Loudon 1840 edition)

Atkins Building

2007-03-23T21:35:00.000Z

Some thoughts about the proposed development from Bill Partidge (Civic Society member)

I wish to express the following concerns regarding the development of the Atkins site and would be pleased to see them placed on a website.

1. Elected councillors must present policy regarding the Atkins development to council tax payers. Comments made to the press by local govt. officers are not the same as council policy.

2. Car parking for staff and students of the College and also those involved in cultural activities needs special consideration.

3.Will the District Valuer please give figures regarding the projected sale of the College?

4.Figures please on the cost of demolition of Atkins buildings for land to be used by the new college.

5.Who will plan and run the cultural activities - the Council or will they privatise?

6.What will happen if the College decide on use of the facility that is not in the interest of the council tax payers?

7,What do the officials intend to do with the present college facilities?

8.A new Leisure Centre,a new Set of Council Offices plus this proposal regarding the Atkins site. Can we have figures of costs?