The Best Guide for the NN12 Area

Are there to be any public toilets for use by visitors and people visiting the Bury Mound site?
Phyllis Brockhurst

Following on from Phyllis B, will there be adequate parking for those using the library? Will the parking be free and specific to library users. So many questions and so few answers. A botched job is slowly developing?

I am very interested in seeing the finalised plans for the Moat Lane regeneration as a number of concerns have been raised about the original outline plans.

Both Phyllis and Peter raise very valuable points here, and there are a number of other concerns over the details.

I know some changes have been made to the original plans regarding parking, and the SNC office move will not help the parking problems in the centre of Towcester without changes being made to the plans.

The toilet issue is still on-going and a solution must be found to reduce the pressure on local business and also local people, and to provide a facility that most visitors will want and need if Towcester is to attract people from the area.

And with the proposed Tove Valley Baptists devbelopment, is there a need for yet another room venue in Towcester. Refurbishing the Town Hall would cost less, and provide a a venue of similar size. And most other local groups who might use the new facility already have alternatives and they use them quite successfully without problems, so what would the attraction be for the new venue?

I doubt that the office move would ever have been overturned given the SNC councillors position to support their own scheme, regardless of public opinion, but let us hope that Peter K is not proven correct in his belief that this development will be a botched job, as the town does not need that.

Nick Holder

I'm with Nick & hope Peter K is not proven correct, but worringly I would not bet against him at present. As a regular visitor to Moat Lane to stroll around the water meadow I cannot believe the state this area is now in. Having spent good money for residents to finally enjoy this parkland about half of it is now inaccessible to those without full body armour because of the trifid-like stingers. No I don't expect a bowling green, as wild flowers, natural undergrowth and wildlife are to be encouraged, but just look at how Stony Stratford manage their walk along the Ouse - they cut a decent pathway about 10 feet wide (I was there yesterday). Not rocket science! It concerns me that relatively simple projects such as clearing routes in our parks (try walking to Tescos and not encoutering a wayward 5 foot thistle) doesn't happen. With toilets and potential rent earning buildings boarded up year after year in Moat Lane - my confidence in this long term developement is waning rapidly.

Regarding the issues above there is a further concern that should be noted by SNC and that is the move by central government to move some activities, together with financial responsibilities, to local councils. At the moment the scheme is limited to a few cities. However, in the future it may well be rolled out to the likes of the SNC. If this does occure there will be a need to take on extra staff to supervise or carry out the extra responsibilities. There is therefore a high likelyhood that the new council building in Moat Lane will turn out to be too small. This will inevitably result in the council expanding into buildings throughout Towcester, interestingly very similar to the situation pre-1980. That situation led to the need for a central building to house all the various operations and low and behold the Springfield building was designed and built for that purpose. Plus ca change!