It's all go!

I have been keeping an eye on developments, or the lack thereof, on the large site down Court Lane for some months now. See reference 1.

Visiting today, I find that the developer has finally got around to demolishing the old buildings, slighted (to use a term from our civil war) some time ago. With this snap taken through the chain hole cut into the (shut) gate and with the right side of the hole visible right.

We can only suppose that the developer, Zestan, have come to some deal with the council (and their heritage people) which let them knock down the slighted old buildings in favour of more new flats. We wonder what the deal says, if anything, about affordable units - with the material posted at reference 1 not suggesting much, if anything, in that department. Perhaps Zestan are paying into the communal pot in some other way.

However, turning up their website again (reference 2), I find it much improved . I also find that they got themselves onto page 45 of something called the 2016-2017 Parliamentary Review, complete with forewords by the Rt. Hon. Theresa May M.P., the Rt. Hon. Philip Hammond M.P. and one Melanie Leech, no less than the Chief Executive of the British Property Federation. Lots of good words about the need for lots more housing. And where, possibly concerning this development, there is also talk of bats. So maybe there was no deal, just a wait while the bats to be sorted out. Rehoused?

Getting enthusiastic about the whole business I try http://www.parliamentaryreview.co.uk/, said to be the publisher of this review, to be told that access is forbidden. In any event, one can only suppose Zestan to be reasonably well connected to get themselves into such a magazine. Rather more prestigious than paying your subs. to the Federation of Master Builders.

PS: the Google spotter plane has not been this way for a little while, as the satellite view at reference 51.3354892,-0.2756819 is a little out of date. But you can see the two old buildings at the bottom of the site, and the white footprint of phase 1 of the new buildings at the top. Court Rec. to the immediate east.

Reference 1: http://psmv3.blogspot.co.uk/2017/10/more-progress.html.

Reference 2: https://www.zestanltd.co.uk/.