There's a bit of a risk this blog could become another channel for the council if i'm not careful but I have to say I admire the way they communicate. For the second time this week I've been very impressed with the way they have packaged up really important information - this time about the Earls Court development plans. I don't know if you managed to get to the live version of the architects dreams (itself an impressive show) but this in the online version.
I'm interested because I live very close to Earls Court but I still can't make up my mind. It isn't a fondness for Earls Court Exhibition centre - the place is showing its age as I am I when i think back to concerts in the early 80's...ahhh Fleetwood Mac, Ian Drury, Undertones, Stone Roses, REM...sigh..I digress.
On the one hand, the plans look fantastic, the area will smarten up a lot, we'll have some useful new amenities and more people will mean more business for some of our local firms.
On the other hand the exhibition traffic has kept the local hotels and resto's alive and brought a hugely diverse bunch of people to the area, at the moment we can park..just..and for all it's slight shabbyness the area is friendly and sometimes things that aren't all that orderly are attractive because they're natural and unplanned and reflect the humans who live here (I don't like architects 'artist impression' worlds of order, perfect families and very green trees - thankfully humans always mess it up and reality never quite looks like that).
Have a look through yourself when you get a moment and I'd love you to share what you think.
For my two 'penneth I'm going to say it's a good thing, we'll soon not notice the difference (after we spend months with building noise and traffic) and I'd rather this kind of development where the land is already used in a really ugly way and the developers seem sensitive to local feelings than the plans for the King Street development which will really make a mess of the skyline and river front in Hammersmith. Your votes please folks?
