I know I’m a cynic, but it really must be a coincidence that the road sweeper has brushed all the roads in the area, rubbish bins are getting bigger and the sun is shining.

It’s reported in the local press that the latest plan for Hemel Hempstead is to reduce to rubble the area between Marlowes and Leighton Buzzard Road and Queensway  and Coombe Street. The idea is to have a new development housing a smaller police station (lucky people, ours is going to disappear!), fire station, council offices, college, social services, shops and cafe. It will be funded by building ‘dwellings’ at a density of 200 per acre - yes, you read it right 200!
Oh, yes, neither did you read anything about a replacement pavilion.

In my other life some 4 to 8 years ago, I thought a good idea was to use the ‘BP’ site for a arts centre, council offices and anything else that was felt suitable for the entrance to the town. After this was built, the area indicated above could have been redeveloped for a nice mix of residential and retail or maybe even allow the college to expand.

Looking on the bright side, with all this money being spent in the centre of the world (aka Hemel Hempstead), they might continue to forget that Tring, Berkhamsted, Kings Langley, Markyate etc., exist and stop tampering with our affairs.

I have a feeling in my water that the Town Council are looking to resurrect a 1960’s plan for a town square. Of course, this plan was drawn up when we had a Court Theatre, Timothy, Whites and Taylors and the memorial stood on the corner outside the theatre and the whole area was re-developed. I just wonder how much it will cost if done now and would it not be easier and cheaper to pedestrianise the Town Centre?

Returning to my ‘throw away remark’ about the police station, do not be surprised if the whole of that corner of Kings Road is changed over the coming years. The land belongs to County and they don’t really care about the town anyway.

All the above needs to be sorted before the East Of England regional government kicks in. Planning already is about to be moved from local (elected) to regional (un-elected) government so we won’t even have a say in anything that affects the way we live. I mean, can you actually believe that we have any better chance of educating the man from East Anglia than we do the man from Brussels?

Finally, may I thank you for reading the material ‘wot I rite’, as you can see from another article, I will be standing for election on 1st May 2003 and as it is very unlikely I will be elected, I will take the opportunity to walk away from local politics as if the public can’t be bothered to elect me, then I can’t be bothered to get involved.

Keep an eye on the site, as I expect will keep the shorter ‘weekly’ column going until the end of April and if you want to ask anything, then get in touch and I will do my best to keep you informed.