Higgs angry over Councillors saying he is âirrelevantâ to the JR debate

Captain Jack Sparrow · Nov 25, 2013

You may recall the this thread
http://www.not606.com/showthread.php/238394-Councillors-tell-Higgs-he-is-‘irrelevant’-to-JR-debate

Higgs has made statement to the Post in response to the Councillors claims. His statement in full....

TRASHorfield Ltd clearly has no consideration for the majority of local people who support the mixed-use development approved for the Memorial Stadium site. Planning was granted after extensive consultation with local community, businesses, action groups and plans were amended after consultation took place, to take on board their comments.

TRASHorfield are a small-minded group, anarchistic in their views, with a tunnel vision of anti-supermarket and anti-developer hysteria. They are not willing to consider the significant wider benefits to Bristol and the surrounding area.

Despite earlier denials to the contrary, they are being part-funded by the Green Party, represented by Councillor Daniella Radice, who is also one of the directors of TRASHorfield Ltd.

There is clearly a lot of false and misleading information being bandied around by the TRASHorfield directors.

These directors of TRASHorfield purport not to be against the football club. However, Stephen Barrett was one of the main spokesmen for HorfieldROSE , who campaigned against the previous application to develop a new Stadium on the site. When HorfieldROSE was wound up following the success of the application to develop at UWE, its final statements were published on its web site stating the following: âThe saga has now ended. The mandate given to HorfieldROSE to oppose the Stadium redevelopment is therefore complete. HorfieldROSE does not have a mandate to oppose Sainsburyâs supermarket and will not seek a new mandate to do soâ.

Now, however, Stephen Barrett is back as a director of TRASHorfield Ltd, opposing this new development.

Daniella Radice denied that the Green party were behind TRASHorfield Ltd. However, shortly after making this statement on the radio, she became the leader of the Green Party in Bristol and her party immediately donated funds to the TRASHorfield campaign.

Statements have been recently made by TRASHorfield Ltd that if this development was to go ahead it would lead to the desecration of a war memorial. This couldnât be further from the truth. Under this development, the memorial gates are to be refurbished and pedestrianized, with a memorial garden being built to further enhance this area. There is also an agreement to maintain this important landmark. Furthermore, this has the complete backing of Bristol Rugby Former Players, who this memorial was set up to honour.

Statements from TRASHorfield Ltd continually refer to a âgargantuanâ supermarket. Clearly, they have not looked at the application and its wider benefits. The supermarket is surrounded on three sides by 65 homes (of which a large percentage are much-needed affordable homes) and community-use buildings. In addition, there is a large area set aside as a green open space. There is also the memorial garden. The large car park is predominantly beneath the store and is available to shoppers on Gloucester Road.

If the project did not go ahead, it could lead to the loss or delay of more than Â£200m of investment into the Bristol area. But that is dependent on the Memorial Stadium project to kick start a cascade of investments. These include a new sports stadium for Bristol, with its associated community and commercial facilities, infrastructure projects, new educational facilities at UWE and more than 500 new homes at Frenchay.

All of which will create thousands of construction jobs and then hundreds of full time and part time jobs for years to come.

In terms of the supermarketâs retail impact, the majority of any loss of trade loss is likely to be borne by Golden Hill and the other small supermarket outlets in Gloucester Road. A survey of the traders within reasonable walking distance of the Memorial stadium indicates there would be little competition from the new store. Indeed, with the offer of parking and the additional foot traffic that would bring to Gloucester Road north, it is very likely that the niche traders in that area could benefit significantly.

To summarise, I have seen little true opposition to the mixed-use development at the Memorial Stadium, with significant support for the development. Since the involvement of Charlotte Leslie we now have more than 7,000 signatures of support in just a few weeks. This matter has also been raised and supported by the Prime Minister.

Clearly, there is a minority of people who wish to block any development at the Memorial Stadium with the bulk of the legal costs being borne by local and central taxpayers. In addition, every day this project is delayed it adds a huge cost to the club.

I accept that a development of this nature will have an impact on some people who, in turn, will object to it. However, we have to look at the wider picture and the wider benefits to the community.

At the end of the day, you cannot make an omelette without breaking an egg. Perhaps, in the eyes of some, we should give up and plant trees and build allotments on the site instead!
Click to expand...

http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/Bristo...s-8217-anger/story-20171728-detail/story.html

Captain Jack Sparrow · Nov 25, 2013

Well said Mr Higgs

Sapphire · Nov 25, 2013

It is nonsense for TRASH to say that Higgs is not relevant to the debate which was proposed. He is the man responsible for selling the site with planning permission for the new supermarket.

Higgs angry over Councillors saying he is âirrelevantâ to the JR debate

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Higgs angry over Councillors saying he is âirrelevantâ to the JR debate

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Higgs angry over Councillors saying he is âirrelevantâ to the JR debate

Captain Jack Sparrow Pirate
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