Page 4 - link magazine

4 swindonlink.com • January 2008
Mechanics' Trust calls for Grand ambitions by grand designs guru:
council's consideration, not cash Swindon - European Eco-City 2016!
If this proposition were to be put forward by Swindon Council, most
Campaigners fighting to restore the Mechanics' Institution say Swin-
people would fall about laughing, but it's the dream that Channel 4
don Council is turning a deaf ear to their requests to present detailed
presenter Kevin McLoud is going to put into reality.
business plans.
Swindon Council has — I s ''
The New Mechanics' Preserva- trust has been unable to persuade
in fact, been saying it
tion Trust has been arguing for the council to look at their detailed
wants to become the
12 years that the derelict building proposals, which includes council
most sustainable town
shouldbe a town centre community support for a compulsory purchase
in Britain for sonic time,
and cultural centre, serving the order which would enable the trust
a commitment which
same purpose it did between 1850 to apply for lottery funding to buy
attracted Kevin to bring
and 1986. and refurbish the building.
HAB - his newly set up
But current owner of the build- It would then be run as a social
housebuilding company
ing Matthew Singh wants to knock enterprise with income from letting
Housing, Architecture,
down a significant part of it to put space such as shops, a cafe, confer-
up a glass and brick hotel towering ence facilities and meeting rooms. Beauty - to the town.
over the historic railway village. "We would run it on a sound and At a presentation of
his initial ideas, Kevin
English Heritage have blocked his viable financial model," said Mr Talking details, Kevin McLoud and
proposal as inappropriate. Rose. "The major difference from revealed that his vision of Swindon Council leader Rod Blnh
A BBC documentary in Novem- other businesses is that any money sustainability goes much
further than two developments, on project will enhance Gorse Hill a lot
berhighlighted theimpasse thathas made would be returned to it."
left the Mechanics empty for over Last year saw growing recogni- brown field land at Gorse Hill and and I hope it will force the volume
20 years. Interviewed on Inside Out tion of the urgency of the campaign another at Wichelstowe. house builders to rethink their
West, Swindon Council leader Rod to save the Mechanics. The Victorian "Building 500 eco-homes won't designs; they have to make them
Bluh said that the trust had not put Society listed the Institute building make much difference," he said. more energy efficient."
forward a viable business case. as one of the top ten endangered "Sustainability is more than just Matt Holland from Lower Shaw
housing; it will involve the whole Farm said Kevin's plans are great
ButonaseparateissuecounBluh buildings in England and Wales.
has said he's keen to see £60 million "Hopefully the trust has at long of Swindon. I'm looking at all of for Swindon. "His ideas chime; at
raised from commercial sources to last reached the point from which its people being part of a greater Lower Shaw Farm we have been
dig up Swindon for a new canal in our vision can now be shared by scheme. pursuing a sustainable agenda for
the town centre, right outside the all, including Swindon Council," "AtHAB we're looking at setting 26 years. But his most important
Mechanics. said Mr Rose. up shared heat and light powergen- point is about sharing; people want
eration, car sharing clubs, a network to do things together.
Trust chairman Daniel Rose says The BBC documentary took cam-
the Mechanics' outline business eras inside the dilapidatedbuilding. of farm shops and more allotments "Sharing is our greatest success;
case was first presented to the To take a tour,followthelinksfrom: to grow food locally. These ideas people love visiting the farm because
will need to be applied across whole they become involved. I look for-
council in 1998. But in ten years the www.new-mechanics.com
communities, not small blocks of ward to sharing ideas with HAB."
housing, if they are to have any HAB will be submitting a plan-
relevance in the longer term. ning application in the early sum-
Gorse Hill resident Emma Gee is mer and hope to start building by
Professional impressed by the HAB ideas. "The the end of 2008.
advice for Link up for business award
Having recently celebrated 20 years in publication and 10 years since we
gynaecological launched swindonlink.com , The Link has entered the Wiltshire Business
of the Year Award organised by Newsquest.
We have reached the longlist of 14 from 40 entrants in the Small Busi-
problems... ness category, sponsored by the Federation of Small Businesses.
Shortlisting takes place in January and the winners will be announced
on 29 February at a gala dinner at the De Vere Hotel.
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