SWRDA want to build a fence

A switched-on local resident noticed this:

http://www.mendip.gov.uk/pods/AppInfo.asp?AppNo=109156/031

The grid reference in the application is right in the middle of this map: very close to the occupied buildings.


So what does it mean? Johnny Heriz-Smith, a local architect who has followed the Morlands sorry mess pile of rubble debacle for many years, kindly interprets:

"[This is] an application to protect the three sets of buildings recognised as worth retaining with improved palisade fencing. This may well be in response to a fire they had prior to christmas which rendered one of the buildings too dangerous to retain - this I believe is true. Logic would dictate that any building that they are not going to protect in the same way will be demolished. In other words the decision to demolish would have been tied in with increasing the level of protection of the other buildings.

This may follow a genuine assessment of their risks."

He explains further:

"The application details are:

Application Number 109156/031
Application Description - Erection of security fencing around existing buildings (BOARD)

'BOARD' means that the decision will go before the planning board, which is open to the public, although only one person can speak for and one against it, if they so wish"

Interesting. The application was received on 22 December 2008 - well before the protest started - so it's not in response to the occupation. However, planning decisions require consultation and it remains to be seen if SWRDA's ears are still plugged up with huge piles of (our) banknotes...

People needed on Monday 12th Jan

Would you like to help out? People are needed on Monday morning (!2th January).

Here's a message from the folks:

"On Monday morning we will have a need for more bodies in the building. Some of us will be at a meeting with the RDA at 9.30am. This is a call for extra bodies to sit there for a few hours on Monday. We estimate we need extra cover from 8.30am to around midday. If anyone has an hour or so to spare during that time please let us know which timeslot you can cover."

If you'd like to turn up, please contact Hazel by email at hazelATglastonburyDOTcoDOTuk (replace capitals with @ and .). It's important to contact her first so things stay organised.

Local architect speaks out

Johnny Heriz-Smith, partner in local architects Heriz-Payne, has been following events at the Morlands site for many years. He says this:

"This is the moment when those who think they can use these buildings need to say so. I have heard of artist's/workshop groups, an 'eco' enterprise, this youth group, and a renewable energy initiative who wanted a presence on Morlands. There may well be other groups I don't know about, and some of these groups may have different ideas altogether and not be interested in these particular buildings.

If the various groups can pull together and have the patience and will to see this through, then there is a chance that these buildings not only get saved but find a community use. This would require the support first of the Town Council, then the Local Authority, and finally SWRDA, in increasing order of difficulty as we ascend the bureaucratic food chain. If there is enough 'spread' of community use then it is possible that the community will raise substantial funds - outside funding (which would be necessary) is difficult and time-consuming to find. We are talking about a minimum 3 year project in my view, and a high level of cooperation between groups with different agendas.

From SWRDA's point of view, clearing these buildings will make the plot more valuable to a potential (or actual) purchaser - they may have the right to demolish these buildings without Mendip's permission.

If Urban Splash pull out I doubt Morlands will be developed for 3-5 years unless SRWDA take a hit on land value (like everyone else is).

It looks like another SWRDA P.R. cockup anyhoo."

He also mentioned that the attitude of the RDA in his recent conversations with them (before the protest) was that everything on the site was fine and dandy...which makes me wonder if they listen the the local community at all.

Online Petition

We've now got an online petition:

http://www.petitiononline.com/19mquid/petition.html

If you've signed the paper one, please don't sign the online one, as duplicates would look a bit odd.

Auntie Beeb's articles about the site

Many thanks to Lauren, who found a few articles by BBC Somerset:

£10.6m bill to redevelop tannery
24 February 2003

Quote:
"More than £10m is needed to redevelop a huge disused tannery in Somerset which has been empty for more than 15 years.

The South West Regional Development Agency (RDA) is asking the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) for £10.6m to fund the next stage of the development of the Morlands site near Glastonbury.

So far, the RDA has spent £5m on acquiring the 30,000 square metres of derelict buildings at the factory, which made leather and sheepskin products for 150 years."

Note the caption under the picture: Proposal for Morlands include offices and a skate park. The skate park was opened in 2003 but demolished without warning last year due to "health and safety considerations". Luckily a new park is being built: no thanks to the RDA.

Approval for tannery's £13m revamp
7 May 2003

Quote:
"A disused tannery will be demolished after the government approved a £13m plan to revitalise the site.

The cash will mean the Morlands site on the outskirts of Glastonbury will be transformed with new roads, refurbished houses and a skateboard park.

There will also be space for small and medium sized businesses.

After Wednesday's official announcement, the South West Regional Development Agency (RDA) said it would now press ahead with redeveloping the rundown area."

Redeveloping? Yeah, right. I found a new word for it: developmestruction

Old tannery demolition continues
9 January 2004

Quote:
"The second phase to clear the site of an ex-tannery for redevelopment has started.

The old Morlands sheepskin factory in Glastonbury, Somerset, lay empty for 15 years before being bought by the South West Regional Development Agency in 2001.

A total of 29 buildings on the 31-acre site have already been cleared, and work has now started to demolish the derelict Hepworth building, and an on-site chapel.

Proposals recently submitted for the site include a combined emergency services control centre, offices, shops and cafes."

Great! We'd like to see them!

I love the next headline:

Morlands site ready for business
27 May 2004

Quote:
"The site of a former sheepskin factory in Somerset is finally ready for a developer to transform it for new use.

Morlands in Glastonbury has been one of the biggest industrial wastelands in the region.

In the 1960s the tannery employed hundreds of workers during the sheepskin boom but when the industry declined, it was left to rot."

...until the Wunnerful SWRDA took it over, spent 19 million quid...and left it to rot.

Developers to revamp old tannery
13 December 2006

Quote:
"Two developers have signed up to redevelop a former sheepskin factory site in Glastonbury.

Urban Splash and Priority Sites will build offices and other buildings at the new Morlands Enterprise Park, providing 400 jobs.

Work will begin in spring 2007, with business moving on to the site in 2008.

The 31-acre former tannery site has been now been fully cleared. It had been one of the biggest industrial wastelands in the region."

It's still a wasteland, except it's now empty and has a lovely set of traffic lights.

I'll add a headline of my own:

Autocratic, wasteful and arrogant Regional Development Agency invent another good-news story and then do nothing of any use to the local community.

Latest news, Jan 7th

It's been three days now and the energy is gathering. Many of the people who had been staying overnight took some time out and had baths, etc: they were replaced by a day crew of a slightly higher average age...

There's been a fairly constant traffic of local people with supplies: vats of hot soup, water, food, etc. The folks would like some thermal socks if anyone's got any. Luckily there's now two gas-fired heaters with the red bottles, which work better in the sub-zero temperatures we've been having.

Everyone has been encouraged by the statements made by the Mayor (see earlier post), and the RDA's change in position (see Rory's statement below).

People in the town are beginning to talk: there's a general dissatisfaction with the RDAs rare combination of sluggishness and duplicity. This is crossing political divides and my guess is that the RDA don't want to alienate even more people. The RDA keep spouting out the same old line that "they've consulted with local politicians": if so, where are they? There have been no expressions of support at all for the RDA's approach - unless you count their own people. We spoke to one local politician today about the RDA but unfortunately, their opinion of the RDA is unprintable...

Anyway, here's some pics:


You can always tidy up to keep warm! says the bloke in the picture



Not everyone likes being photographed!

Call for information

Richard here - aka barefootreporter.

As you can see, we're getting a fair bit of info about the site from many different sources.

If you've got any relevant information then please contact me by email here: rchisnallATgmailDOTcom (replace as necessary).

News from the Red Brick Building

Latest news:

You can help out by dropping by for a few hours, so the folks inside can take a break and have baths, etc. Anyone is welcome, apart from the folks from the RDA of course!

Spokeperson Rory Weightman has some good news:

"An interesting development has just taken place in our negotiations with the RDA. They have now said they WILL hold a private meeting on Monday morning WITHOUT the pre-condition of vacating the building. This is good news... So it seems (tho one can never be sure) that we are safe from eviction for the moment."

Watch this space.

Statement from Tom Billing, Mayor of Glastonbury

January 7 2009

Tom Billing, Mayor of Glastonbury, has today issued the following statement:

---

Statement from the Mayor of Glastonbury re Morland Enterprise Development Site

Like many others in Glastonbury I am very disappointed with the lack of real progress on the Morland Enterprise Development Site by the South West Regional Development Agency (SWRDA). After 7 years of effort and the spending of around 20 million pounds of public money we have yet to see the essence of a real development. Had the SWRDA got down to business in a timely fashion our dream of an exciting new development with the prospect of quality employment opportunities for the town could have been nearing fruition by now.

As Mayor of this town my first duty is to uphold the law and therefore I cannot condone the occupation of the derelict buildings on the Morland's site but I do very much share the frustration that the squatters must be feeling. I am backing our local MP David Heathcoate-Amory who has called for a public enquiry into the delays and spend of public funds by SWRDA.

I would call upon the squatters to leave the building immediately for their own safety but at the same time I invite the SWRDA to come to the Glastonbury Town Hall to explain to the general public what is going on.

Cllr Tom Billing
Mayor of Glastonbury

Ebenezer Cottage,
30, Northload Street,
Glastonbury,
Somerset.
BA6 9JJ

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Urban Splash or Urban Crash?

Urban Splash - www.urbansplash.co.uk - is the property developer who supposedly are to redevelop the south end of the Morlands site, including the occupied "red brick building". They've got a history of working with the SWRDA, having redeveloped the King William Yard in Plymouth.

You would have had to be asleep for the last year not to know that it's getting very hard to borrow money these days: the property market is in sharp decline. One major residential development right here in Glastonbury has ground to a halt for that very reason.

Will this affect Urban Splash and their plans for the site? You won't find the news articles below in the news section of their website, although you can search their site for Morlands and get a few results - you can also register your interest in Morlands too! Anyway, here's a link to Urban Splash's factsheet about Morlands (pdf).



If this image (from the factsheet - sod the copyright) is anything to go by, they want to build something that looks like glorified converted containers with bolt-on prison staircases, surrounded by lovely grey paving stones...don't get me wrong, I like good modern architecture, but I don't fancy living in a shoe box with windows sitting a pad of concrete. Note the lack of gardens and children and no less than three men in suits.

How, I wonder, are Urban Splash faring in the current financial and property market downturn? Here's what the papers say:

BBC: Staff at Urban Splash face cuts

September 12 2008

Quote:

"Manchester-based property development firm Urban Splash has begun a redundancy programme following "disappointing" sales.

The company, which specialises in converting former industrial buildings, employs 280 people but has not said how many are facing redundancy.

It has blamed deterioration in the UK economy for the decision. "

---

Herald Express (South Devon) Urban Splash hit by credit crunch

October 15 2008

Quote:

"ONE of the developers lined up to redevelop Paignton's historic Oldway Mansion is faced with laying off staff because of the credit crunch.

Urban Splash has been hit hard by the banking crisis and mortgage freeze, particularly in the North West.

The Manchester based developer, responsible for some of the most highly praised regeneration projects in the country, confirmed it has begun consultation on redundancies.

(...)

The council is scheduled to decide between them by the end of the year following a public consultation on their proposals.

Urban Splash says the credit crunch had forced the firm to consider making cuts."

---

Liverpool Daily Post: Urban Splash blames economic gloom for 60 job losses

November 15 2008

Quote:

"PROPERTY group Urban Splash is to cut more than 20% of its workforce after confirming 60 jobs will be lost.

The Manchester-based firm, which has a Liverpool office, announced in September it was consulting with employees about potential job losses.

It blames the deteriorating economy and disappointing sales in the first half of 2008."

---

Manchester Evening News: Urban Splash warns of further job cuts

December 12 2008

Quote:

"REGENERATION developer Urban Splash looks set to make more job cuts.

The Manchester-based company confirmed today it was reviewing its construction staffing in the north and had begun a fresh consultation period with workers.

The news comes just a fortnight after the company confirmed it had made 60 jobs redundant from its 250-strong workforce across its five UK divisions."

"Last month Splash chairman and chief executive Tom Bloxham said more public investment was needed, both nationally and locally, and warned: 'The whole regeneration cycle is in danger of crashing to a halt.'"

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The word from the Royal William Yard in Plymouth is about staff layoffs and unsold apartments.

So there you have it - four months on the trot. Urban Crash, I think?