Silver Hill in doubt after Thornfield collapse (From Hampshire Chronicle)

Excellent news - Am I cynical, or was the (possibly?) already troubled Thornfield Properties hoping to regenerate their own bank balance from the Silver Hill Renaissance? It will be interesting to see if the Lloyds Banking Group see this project as a financially viable proposition. Er, has anyone pointed out the last scheme, which is smack-bang in the middle of Winchester's retail area, and comprises of mostly empty units?

Why is this collapse being so gleefully celebrated? Surely a good thing for a dilapidated part of the city?

What a total shambles! I lived in Peterborough for 13 years and they planned, designed and built the Queensgate shopping centre in 1/3 of the time it's taken just to ARGUE about Silver Hill! Like Winchester, Peterborough is a Cathedral city with a great heritage and attractive buildings but their planners just got on with it and now Queensgate attracts visitors from all over East Anglia. All we in Winchester have to show for over 12 years of wrangling about Silver Hill redevelopment is an eyesore of a bus station and a large run-down area of tatty buildings which is highly off-putting to any visitors. Instead of attracting shops and businesses to Winchester, this is chasing them out because of the uncertainty. Frankly, I used to shop in Eastleigh before the Swan Centre was redeveloped but now I shop there even more because Winchester can't get its act together!

Dianthus wrote:
What a total shambles! I lived in Peterborough for 13 years and they planned, designed and built the Queensgate shopping centre in 1/3 of the time it's taken just to ARGUE about Silver Hill! Like Winchester, Peterborough is a Cathedral city with a great heritage and attractive buildings but their planners just got on with it and now Queensgate attracts visitors from all over East Anglia. All we in Winchester have to show for over 12 years of wrangling about Silver Hill redevelopment is an eyesore of a bus station and a large run-down area of tatty buildings which is highly off-putting to any visitors. Instead of attracting shops and businesses to Winchester, this is chasing them out because of the uncertainty. Frankly, I used to shop in Eastleigh before the Swan Centre was redeveloped but now I shop there even more because Winchester can't get its act together!

More than likely that most think the same as you.....
Winchester City Council IS a bloody shambles...... period!

Agatha wrote:
Excellent news - Am I cynical, or was the (possibly?) already troubled Thornfield Properties hoping to regenerate their own bank balance from the Silver Hill Renaissance? It will be interesting to see if the Lloyds Banking Group see this project as a financially viable proposition. Er, has anyone pointed out the last scheme, which is smack-bang in the middle of Winchester's retail area, and comprises of mostly empty units?

Not cynical just realistic Agatha

mojopinned wrote:
Why is this collapse being so gleefully celebrated? Surely a good thing for a dilapidated part of the city?

Quite easy really mojo.....
The vast majority of folk in this city are well peeved off with the council wasting our hard earned taxes going to waste?..... Brooks ring a bell?

Can someone now tell us why Thornfield, perpetuated by the recently deposed Conservative council, were given an exclusive contract by the previous LibDem council to develop the site? This may help to allay the accusations of corruption which are widespread throughout the city.