1 July (Part 2) - Public Realm report : Round 4
Cheryl Bacon’s
phantom Public Realm meeting
was supposed to include a presentation of the plans for Sidcup High Street. A couple
of screens with projectors had been set up so that members of the public could see what
was going on. When she retired to the ‘Closed session’ councillors would have had to
gather around a laptop screen. If the public had been allowed in they would have been able
to see nothing of that, but as Cheryl barred access, contrary to the lies the council’s
spokeswoman fed to the press, the problem did not arise.
A visual presentation may have been very informative but sadly the Agenda isn’t, but
it is all we have. So much for public involvement in the plans.
There are very few bits that can be extracted to tell a coherent story but the
general idea appears to be to provide a unified appearance along Sidcup High
Street. Shops will be encouraged to adopt a consistent colour scheme and
coordinated signage, doors, awnings, shutters and pilasters.
Sidcup High Street. (Council’s photographs.)
The plan includes increased footway space and unlike
Broadway, formal crossing points. Presumably increased footway width can only
mean a further restriction of road width.
There will be more trees, more seats, coordinated waste bins, a general
de-cluttering of street signs and cycle parking. Better car parking does not get
a mention anywhere and if the de-cluttering of Broadway is any sort of guide, it
will all go back in again soon enough.
The Broadway presentation almost exactly one year earlier looked to be
inspiring, even if the reality is it can be heard being ridiculed by anyone who
lingers by the ASDA crossing or the Magic Roundabout for a few minutes. The
Sidcup Improvement Plan goes on for eight pages and manages to say very little
of interest. It looks like someone has found some money and it has to be spent
somehow. but shopkeepers are about to have their awnings coordinated, so that
must be money well spent.
Public Realm report : Round 1
Public Realm report : Round 2
Public Realm report : Round 3