Dismay as the litany of Talacre blunders continues

Followers of the saga of the proposed development at Dalby Street, Talacre where a key decision about its future is expected this week, will not be surprised to hear that a major blunder by the developer and/or council has been discovered. Three disabled

Followers of the saga of the proposed development at Dalby Street, Talacre where a key decision about its future is expected this week, will not be surprised to hear that a major blunder by the developer and/or council has been discovered.

Three disabled parking bays currently serve the sports centre. The plans for the development, which involve the privatisation of access, continue to show three disabled bays.

What has been missed is that they will have to serve not just the sports centre but two new categories of user: firstly, those residents of the 55 flats who have disabled badges and secondly those visiting and working at the doctors' surgery.

The residents of the 55 flats are subject to car-capping which means that there are only spaces for 12 cars in the basement. Other residents are not permitted to obtain parking permits, with the obvious exception of disabled permits.

In all its dealings with the council, objectors have been told that the sports centre, classified in the jargon as a 'public amenity', will not suffer as a result of this development.

This blunder may be the most spectacular example yet of how wrong the council has been.

Nick Harding

Talacre under Threat