22nd October 2007

In the promised move to run a competition to bring forward a new design for the redevelopment of the cattle market site, MCC has released details of the process.

A panel of six has been invited to come together to choose the new design from schemes put forward by firms of leading architects. Apart from one representative each from the County Council, Asda and Henry Boot, the Mayor of Abergavenny, Cllr. Martin Hickman, Dick Cole from the Area Forum cattle market sub committee that brought forward the Forum brief for the new design brief, and a member of the Design Commission for Wales have been invited to help choose the winning design.

The County Council invited nominations from the public for suitably qualified and experienced firms of architects to submit designs for consideration.  Negotiations with these firms are nearing completion after which the names will be announced.

The Project Director, Steve Greenslade issued the following statement –

”Following the extensive consultations in and around the town in recent months, we have been working hard to find an alternative approach to the appeal route for the previous application.

“It was clear that what almost everyone wanted was a complete re-design and a new architect. Many people suggested a competition with a panel of judges that included representatives from the town to choose a new design and this has now been achieved. We have gone further than that by also inviting a member of the Design Commission for Wales to join the panel, which many critics of the previous scheme believe to be an authoritative voice on good design in Wales.

“The new design brief that the architects are working to must include the link between Lion Street and Park Road and it must have as a public access, a point as far away from Monk Street as is possible to satisfy the Welsh Assembly requirements to avoid traffic congestion.

“Other than positioning the Asda store in the centre of the site, which I cannot believe anyone would favour, that will mean the store will need to be on the east boundary of the site. Apart from that and the necessity to include the car parking close to the store, the architects will be starting from scratch. The question of whether the majority of the parking should be above ground or below will be a matter for the design teams.

“The number of housing units will also be left to them. What we are looking for is quality design over quantity.”

Cllr. Bob Greenland, the Cabinet Member responsible added

“I want to thank the Officers for the immense amount of work they have put in on this scheme in recent months.

“It has been no easy task to get to this stage. It is a pity that some people were criticising the outcome of the process before it was even completed. I am sure most people will acknowledge the Council has delivered what it said it would – a process which is open and fair.

“What I am repeatedly told now is that we should press on with this as quickly as possible. This will be done 110%.”

Ends.