Blacon Parade Meeting

I have to admit, I’ve not been to many community forums, but the fact is that it’s the only place where you can express a view about what’s happening locally and people will listen. That alone can make you feel better. There are two in Blacon: 'One Voice for Blacon' and the 'Blacon Community Forum'. Tonights meeting was chaired by Janet Gittins (local authority) and Reg Jones (local Counsellor).

The meeting focus was on the topic of the Blacon Parade. This is basically 20 small retail outlets in the centre of Blacon (or near enough) with residential apartments above them. My particular interest (apart from the fact it's a major development in the middle of my neighbourhood) is that Cafe Life is one of these retail outlets and run by our local church New Life Blacon. The Parade buildings are dated and look grotty and ready for a revamp.

This is a photo of the left flank of the Parade (the rectangular shape in the bottom left of the map below - the part earmarked for demolition and rebuild). The buildings behind the Parade include the Blacon Sports and Social, the Betting Shop, the Community Centre, the Clinic and a Youth Centre (The Delta). They are all a bit run down and badly in need of an update. Everybody agrees with that. The contention of the last 8 years is what we should have instead and who’s going to pay for it.

In this aerial photo I have highlighted the buildings we (New Life Blacon Church) have used to meet and share life, music, fun and food in Blacon since 2007. The Blacon Community Centre was our Sunday morning meeting and social events for 3 years. Our beloved Cafe Life building, a faith based community cafe. And then the Sports and Social where we have been meeting for the last year on Sunday mornings and Friday evenings.

I must emphasise that this is my rough 'artists impression' made up from what I have gleaned from information given out so far (not an official plan). The major partners in the redevelopment are Chester and District Housing Trust (building more 'affordable housing' behind the Parade), Chester Primary Care Trust (who plan to build a walk-in medical centre) and Cheshire West and Chester Council (who look after the retail and public services). As well as this a local independent body is being set up called the Blacon Asset Management Company (to handle local services to the communities best advantage). The plan is that the BAMC will be based in a multi-use facility comprised of business space and community space (roughly on top of our present Cafe site).

Most people in Blacon know that the Parade and the buildings behind it are getting knocked down at some point over the next two years. What they don’t know (at the moment) is what is going to built in its place. Most of the messages in the local press are vague and the artist’s impressions we see are just that; impressions. There is a cynicism and distrust from those who are bothered about it which has been cultivated by years of ‘community engagement’ meetings which have so far proved fruitless. This is what the key partners are up against - it's a tough job.

Tonight’s meeting had an interesting twist. It wasn’t to hear and discuss what was actually going on. It was to talk about how information and engagement should most effectively take place with the wider community. We split into groups and talked about mail shots, posters, events and web sites. Looking forward to seeing what gets written on them...