REPLIES
Relies by Email (anonymised):
30 May 2014
“I would like to see the co-op site to become a leisure center for children or a employment agreement to give local citizens jobs as there are none around here for local residents or - sum form of entertainment I.e cinema,bowling,ice skating,indoor football/tennis pitches or a amusment center for the youth !! Thanks for taking the time to read this if u find 1 or more of my idea's suitable plz let me knw.”
1 June 2014
“Having been a resident of Whitehouse Close for 50+yrs, I feel we do not need, Flats, Offices,or a Multi-storey car park.
It would be a better idea to establish better care facilities for Older people, namely old peoples bungalows for example,or even a care home, we keep hearing about the ageing population so this should be in the forethought of the planning committee mind.
Thank You.”
1 June 2014
“I would suggest that provisions are made for a Marks and Spencer store with its own car park to be built on the old co-op site. We need some quality shops in Houghton Regis to bring some revival in the town. ”
5 June 2014
“My preference would be for a large clothing store, as Houghton Regis is due to grow vastly and we currently have no clothing stores. Perhaps a community center/social club could be incorporated into the build, in a similar way to the old club above the Gateway/Co-op store? I understand that Matalan once sought to open a store on the White Lion Retail Park, but this was objected to by Dunstable Town Council as they believed that this would take custom away from the town center. In my opinion Dunstable Town Council were mistaken, as i believe that many people that would have visited the Matalan store would have gone on to visit Dunstable Town center and certainly when my wife and i visit Matalan in Luton, we usually also visit the Arndale center.
“If a large store could not be enticed to set up on the old Co-op site, then i would still prefer the site to be used for retail. Perhaps the Co-op site could be developed, with the Bedford Square stores/businesses moving onto the Co-op site and then redevelop Bedford Square for retail.
“With over 5000 new houses due to be constructed in Houghton Regis in the next few years, i would expect the population to increase by about 12000, so i really believe that the town is really worthy of a decent shopping area in the town center.”
7 June 2014
“How about a dog free Park where we can go in relative safety which is clean and safe.
We are perhaps the only community in the Country without one.
I note that even the NATURE RESERVE land is not closed to dogs ( change of name overdue ).
The site I had in mind was the old Co-op one.
As the 'parklands' seem to be in total control of dog walkers with even a car park for Luton & Dunstable contingent!
The normal,country wide,would be to section off area's for the minority i.e. dog walkers.
But they would now seem to have total control? ”
11 June 2014
1 Sorry to see the CoOperative store closed down. A pity the council couldn't have reached a better agreement. However, Morrisons and Tesco still need to have competition. Why not either a Waitrose or a Marks & Spencer Food Hall ? Have a look at their stores in Harpenden if you need good examples.
2, Park Road North: Have a look at the drains on both sides of the road. On the side furthest from the Houghton Hall park, almost all of the drains / drain lids are blocked. No wonder that when we have heavy rain, we also have instant flooding!
12 June 2014
Further to the item "What would you do with the Co-op Site" in Issue 1402 of the Focus magazine.
I have been a resident of Houghton Regis since November 1983 and consider that the supermarket and community centre were a focal point in the centre of the town.
... the town would benefit from the following:
- a number of lock-up shops and a restaurant fronting onto the High Street.
- a new community centre with facilities similar to the one that was located within the roof void of the supermarket; incorporating a large hall with stage, bar and lounge areas, etc.
- a number of small offices for economical rent, together with meeting rooms, for new/small businesses similar to those within the Hub
- affordable/starter homes with purchase restricted to persons who were born and residing within Houghton Regis, so as to enable young persons/couples to get a foot hold in the housing market.
the site to be sympathetically and appropriately developed and landscaped so as to provide a focal point in the centre of town; there is scope for a three storey development to maximise the potential of the site.
20 June 2014
“Why has taken so long to realize that the Social club did not have a lease ? The Co-op burnt down 8 YEARS AGO and steps should have been taken then to ensure its
survival along with a permanent site.
“You say that the Lib Dems have long pressed the Co-Op and CBC to bring the site back
into proper use. It is obvious to me and I suspect to many other readers of the latest
Focus that collectively you have not been bloody minded enough with either party in swiftly bringing the issue to a close, and by doing so you have let YOUR community down.
NO GOLD MEDAL HERE THEN.
“You are asking for suggestions as to what should be built. In a way you have answered the question yourselves by saying 'with a growing Town'. Houghton Regis needs more retail facilities bearing in mind that there are currently 2 separate proposals to build a total of some 260 new homes on 2 sites along Bedford Road.
“If the site should be occupied by offices, flats,care housing or cinema then the town will lose in total the car parking which is needed as what we have at present is not adequate.
If shops are built then this will possibly enable the Social Club to be re-housed above
“Once the Co-Op have finished gutting the shop interior and leave the site it then I assume
becomes the responsibility of CBC. I imagine that it will be several months if not years
before a decision is made as to its future. NOW HERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR HRCC
TO EARN SOME GOLD MEDALS. Make a firm request to CBC that they at the very least improve the appearance of the site by the maintenance of the shrubby, cutting the grass on the roundabout, removing the rubbish that has appeared where the shrubs have been removed to allow access for the removal of the signage on the High Street elevation AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST give the hoarding around the site a coat of paint.
“How about getting the local schools involved in painting a mural on the High Street frontage, anything that will improve the current eye sore.
WANT TO EARN SOME MORE MEDALS? Get Morrisons to make a decision as to what they are going to do with the site they vacated.ANOTHER EYE SORE IN PROCESS
COME ON LIB DEMS, PUT SOME PRIDE BACK IN HOUGHTON REGIS!!!!
( by the way I am a Lib Dem supporter)”
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