Saturday, December 10, 2005
Trowbridge Shopping Centre & Post Office
Your Councillors are, of course, aware of the great concern Trowbridge residents have about the redevelopment of the shopping centre.
Planning permission has been granted but it was only after the permission was obtained that the Council could begin the nine month legal process of “stopping up” the current public rights of way which is necessary before building can begin. This should be completed over the next few months. The last block of garages at the rear of the existing shops will soon be demolished as these are causing problems for residents and shopkeepers.
The Council recently appointed the building firm Lovells to carry out the work following a detailed tender process, although, for some reason your local Councillors were not invited to participate in the process as has always been the case in the past. Lovells have vast experience of regeneration schemes and are also working with the Council in St. Mellons. They will employing architects White Young Green who have worked with us on this scheme up to planning stage. Legal discussions between the Council and Cardiff Community Housing Association (CCHA) have begun in order to progress the sale of the site and agreements required to carry out the re-generation. In order to keep local residents and the remaining shop keepers informed the Council will be distributing a newsletter and a site sign board will be erected on the site showing the plans for the re-generation. The bad news is the closing of the post office. It is important to understand that this is nothing to do with the Council.
Fourboys owned the Post Office franchise and for commercial reasons (nothing to do with the redevelopment) have left the area. The company has reviewed all its outlets and decided that its Trowbridge shop was not viable. Therefore, they are selling their post office franchise. The Post Office itself has very strict rules about who can become a sub-postmaster and a protracted process is undertaken before appointing new franchisees. I have spoken with Fourboys and the Post Office and it is clear that tranferring the franchise will take time and the post office will be closed. Your Councillors are hoping Spar will want to take on the franchise but this is something we cannot get involved with unfortunately.
Councillor Ralph Cook
Planning permission has been granted but it was only after the permission was obtained that the Council could begin the nine month legal process of “stopping up” the current public rights of way which is necessary before building can begin. This should be completed over the next few months. The last block of garages at the rear of the existing shops will soon be demolished as these are causing problems for residents and shopkeepers.
The Council recently appointed the building firm Lovells to carry out the work following a detailed tender process, although, for some reason your local Councillors were not invited to participate in the process as has always been the case in the past. Lovells have vast experience of regeneration schemes and are also working with the Council in St. Mellons. They will employing architects White Young Green who have worked with us on this scheme up to planning stage. Legal discussions between the Council and Cardiff Community Housing Association (CCHA) have begun in order to progress the sale of the site and agreements required to carry out the re-generation. In order to keep local residents and the remaining shop keepers informed the Council will be distributing a newsletter and a site sign board will be erected on the site showing the plans for the re-generation. The bad news is the closing of the post office. It is important to understand that this is nothing to do with the Council.
Fourboys owned the Post Office franchise and for commercial reasons (nothing to do with the redevelopment) have left the area. The company has reviewed all its outlets and decided that its Trowbridge shop was not viable. Therefore, they are selling their post office franchise. The Post Office itself has very strict rules about who can become a sub-postmaster and a protracted process is undertaken before appointing new franchisees. I have spoken with Fourboys and the Post Office and it is clear that tranferring the franchise will take time and the post office will be closed. Your Councillors are hoping Spar will want to take on the franchise but this is something we cannot get involved with unfortunately.
Councillor Ralph Cook
