I WELCOME the announcement that Mr Ben Hamilton-Baillie, who is acknowledged throughout the UK and Europe as one of our leading architects in urban design, is being consulted over the Edgar Street Project, and has apparently promised a totally fresh approach to the scheme. Although things are at an advanced stage, I sincerely hope he reviews the needs of the whole of the city centre before he submits his recommendations, because it appears to me that the people involved at present have concentrated solely on the Edgar Street Grid area, to the detriment of the present city centre retail and other businesses.

This is without doubt the most important project for many years in Hereford City, and it is imperative we get it right. If changes are needed at this late stage, then so be it. I, and many others, have held the view that any retail businesses, whenever possible, should be constructed within the city walls, and the most suitable site would in our opinion be the area of land situated between Broad Street, King Street and West Street, and not on the ESG at all. At least then the new businesses would blend in naturally with the adjoining retail businesses, and the huge problems of trying to link them both together would not exist. Were a multi-storey car park to be included on the site, we would have a more compact and suitable development than has been suggested so far.

I appreciate this would involve negotiating with a number of different landowners and the relocation of some businesses but I am sure that, with the right approach, that could be achieved.

If Mr Hamilton-Baillie is merely looking for a way to link the Edgar Street Grid development with the existing businesses, then I think the two areas are too widespread for both to remain viable. May I suggest he consider a single carriageway only along each side of Newmarket Street, for the use of buses and emergency services together with limited use of taxis and delivery vehicles, with perhaps generous landscaping along the central reservation, so as to encourage a natural movement of customers from one site to the other.

Councillor Wilcox, the cabinet member for highways and transportation, informed members this week, through the pages of the local press, that it is hoped to have a park and ride site operating, at Holmer, within a year. If, in the coming months, he surprises us with further like announcements, then we will hopefully be able to pedestrianise totally a centre section of Newmarket Street with service points at either end, and the problem will be solved at a stroke!

Welcome to Hereford, Mr Hamilton-Baillie. I wish you well.

COUNCILLOR R I MATTHEWS Lower Orchards, Burghill