THE FUTURE of the Tricorn Centre is a major concern for Stroud residents and some may have heard it has been sold (again) and could be redeveloped (again).
To find out more I met the new planning agent for the building last week with the council chief executive, senior officers, the town council and ward councillors.
This is because the new owners have not accepted my request to meet them.
The current state of play is that the new owners are trying to rely on existing planning permissions to develop the property into 44 residential flats.
They are also seeking to rely on temporary permitted development permission from coronavirus legislation that ends in May 2023.
In reality, this means they have to develop the site by May this year!
I gave the planning consultant a hard time about all this.
It’s not his fault but we have to see progress following decades of failure.
Like many local people, I find it difficult to trust anything to do with Tricorn House.
The council is in a difficult position.
It approved the 44 flats and gave the planning permission with a sunset clause of May 2023, albeit under different leadership.
There is absolutely no duty for the new owners to consult the community or change anything. Parking remains an issue at the site too.
There will be more flats than parking spaces.
I cannot see the entire building being completed by May so at that stage there may be an argument about whether sufficient progress has been made.
The consultant helpfully agreed to the council going in to inspect on the day after the sunset clause ends.
I will hold him to that.
Moving forward, I would like to visit the site to see for myself what is happening.
And I will keep being a thorn in everybody’s side until I see the property developed or demolished.
