General Chat

If you knew the area, Rollo, you would see four storey buildings would overshadow the existing (historic) buildings in/behind of/in front of the area, and also mean no light would penetrate to street level.
The comment under your link to a photo of the worst part of Silver Hill as it is now also says this.

Likewise the monstrosity planned for Chesil Street Car park will totally block any light for those living in the very old buildings along that part of the street - and I don't mean the 'Old Rectory' restaurant - some of the houses are older.

Stagecoach buses are more than capable of chugging out fumes, you know - and breaking down on a regular basis!

Here is a fuller and quite entertaining history of Silver Hill.

http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/4176640

Well interior designers can do a lot with a council flat
http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2010/oct/09/council-flat-20th-century-vintage

Why wouldn't 4 story residential buildings work in Winchester ? They are fine most anywhere else. Maybe the designer's haven't yet heard of lifts.

There is no point in having a car in Winchester 'cos there is nowhere to park unless you have an hour or so free to poodle around the one way system in false hope. At least the main street is free of the evil green chugging King Alfred buses but now there are less chuggy but just as customer unfriendly buses heading to outlying places such as Oliver's Battery where nobody really wants to go given a choice in the matter. Otherwise walking is good for the soul and a brisk walk everyday up and down the hill to the railway station a very good thing. Especially after standing all the way from Waterloo. In any case the railway station too has hardly any parking.

What Winchester does have is the el magnifico public loo no doubt dreamed up by the interior designers.

Here's a potted history of the Silver Hill Development in Winchester, first mooted in 2009

http://www.hampshirechronicle.co.uk/news/indepth/silverhill/

It was to have social housing and affordable housing - not any more.
Sainsbury's were interested - but now we have online shopping. There's to be no bus station - but very few councillors use buses, so that's okay!!

Also the plans show lovely sunny streets with 4 storey buildings - that won't work!!

Here, in the city in north-east England that contains a World Heritage site (the one that Bill Bryson loves), we are about to have one of the shopping centres containing several empty units developed to incorporate a cinema, other units and student accommodation.

Meanwhile, mention has been made about the unsuitability of an ageing County Council HQ on the northern side of the city. This would be an ideal opportunity to relocate the council offices to the centre of town. I don't know what our councillors have been thinking of - perhaps it is free parking, but underneath this centre is a multi-storey car park, all buses from surrounding districts go into the middle of town, we have three park-and-ride centres and a railway station. Utilising these would also ease the congestion.

I have nothing against students. I was one myself, but the city is awash with university- and student-occupied buildings. Even the old Shire Hall is now occupied by university departments and the university is sitting on a lot of land skirting the town yet still within walking distance.

I know there are rates to consider but the huge expanse of land now occupied on the northern side of the city by the council offices and car park could be used to develop a range of ordinary housing, affordable housing and even student accommodation if necessary. In other words, something for everyone.

Perhaps I am jumping the gun because there are other ageing buildings in the centre of town which the councillors may have their eyes and I do know that all of our councillors are not dim. However, a few years ago it was reported that one of them supported the building of some sort of monument or such that he claimed 'would put D..... on the map.' Laughable really as we have a world heritage site already doing just that!

I am not holding my breath.

Sounds like the new additions to the town centre here Maggie, I hate the library ( the old one was great) now you have to go up an escalator or lift to a galleried affair where the books are laid out in a way that makes no sense, above that is another gallery where the council office customer service section is ( for council tax, benefits, housing etc) , therefore you get all the noise from below ( costa coffee etc) and from above.

Det - Painters, decorators and maintenance are now put out to tender - and awarded to the lowest bidder - or a friend of a councillor ;-)

Rose, I've worked in one or two of these 'innovative' buildings.
One has buckets - with laminated signs (that shows permanence) saying 'do not move'.
It also has 'environmentally sustainable' windows. They open and close!!
Storage space is a laugh, and as it was open plan - a 'clear desk' policy was introduced. Not much help when the team you work for prepares training packs for courses.
Another one, has lights that are on permanently. The team I worked for didn't like them, so they had toilet light switches fitted, so they could be turned OFF

The library was re-jigged as the 'Discovery Centre'. It's open plan, with a café one end - not exactly conducive to quiet reading or study.
There are about 10th of the number of books now, but there are a couple of conference rooms - what every library needs. :-\
....as for the 'local records' - I've no idea where they've gone.....

Most of the buildings they've 'improved' have become open plan.
Guess who don't work in an open plan office - that's right - the architects and designers!!

"
Hampshire County Council Architects is a pioneering public service practice with a national reputation for inspirational, practical and resilient public architecture, winning awards over many years.

We are a thriving multi-disciplinary design-led office of some 150 designers with an ever increasing portfolio of exciting and varied projects. We are looking for a high calibre experienced interior designer to join our team and help deliver this work, embracing our commitment to creating quality architecture for the public good and the values of a leading non-profit making organisation.

Joining our team will provide you with an excellent opportunity to broaden your experience, see your projects built and further your professional career. Based in the historic city of Winchester, we are confident you will find Hampshire a great place to live and work.

You can find out more about what we do and the projects we are involved in via http://www3.hants.gov.uk/propertyservices" where you can view some of their projects

That sounds like a jolly good question for the local newspaper ;-)

Interior Designers? Why on earth do they need 150 let alone one more? :-S
Might they be lumping all of the council owned Public amenities maintenance staff together - Painters, decorators etc?

When Local and County councils are cutting front-line services to the elderly, teenagers and young, and closing offices - meaning managers now 'work' from home (I've still to work out how someone can manage staff from home), and expecting admin staff (1% payrise in the past 5 years, and no incremental pay rises) to do the work 5 used to do, is Hampshire County Council advertising for an Interior Designer?
This Interior Designer will join150 other Interior Designers, at £30,858 - £34,731 per annum!!!!

Oh! such an important job - NOT!!
...AND earning twice what the average admin person earns.