I read with great interest, the approval of the plans to

carry out the Brewery Yard redevelopment scheme.

This project now seens to be forging ahead, and whilst I

am not against the progression of works or the motives

behind it (hey, we have just endured nearly three years of

roadworks, why not now have another year and a half of

disruption to the town centre as well !), there are two

points that concern me.

Firstly, whilst being keen on the use of high quality

materials, they do not come cheap, and if you wish to use

these materials then you have to be prepared to maintain

them.

I just fear as to what these areas will look like in a few

years time with this councils regime of maintenence.

You only have to look at the 'quality materials' used on

the pavements in front of the town hall to see that after

only a few years it all looks a complete mess with many

broken slabs and service holes replaced unsympathetically

with tarmac. Cracked slabs remain in place and not to

mention the chewing gum spatters and cluttered street

furniture and signs everywhere.

For some reason we seem unable to keep our public

spaces clean and well maintained. They seem to be able

to do it on the continent, and my experience is that where

they have outside markets, they thoroughly wash down

the areas after every use. I can't see that happening over

here.

What assurances and procedures will be put in place to

keep these new areas in a condition we as a town can be

proud of and be appealing to visitors?

Secondly, I have studied the approved plans and note the

following; the existing combined car parking spaces

available in both the market car parks and Market Street is

179 spaces.

The approved plans show a total of only 104. Thats 75

cars that will have to find parking somewhere else !

(maybe the Asda carpark if that ever gets built - great for

them).

The planners state that there will be 'improved visitor

parking'! Yes, the parking will be lovely to look at if you

can get a space.

These comments may be too late and have surely been

discussed at some level before. What I would not want to

see is a quick fix 'landmark' project that simply falls by

the wayside a few years down the line and gives a legacy

that the people of Abergavenny become discontent with.