For me, it marks the transition from city to country, from the urban world of the Six Towns and encircling villages to the wilder-ness and moorlands of the Peaks.
It is not the most significant or beautiful space in the world.
This is no Trafalgar Square, but with its distinctive planting, old-fashioned signage and street lamps it is an identifiable and much-loved part of Leek.
Above all, it provides the backdrop to the Nicholson War Memorial, one of the tallest in the country and the scene for many acts of remembrance and respect.
So it is all the more astonishing to learn that Staffordshire County Council appears intent on ruining this very special part of the Moorlands, all to accommodate a new Sainsbury's supermarket.
The philistines in the traffic management division want to replace the roundabout with a series of traffic lights, infuriating both residents and the Royal British Legion.
An opposition petition has garnered some 3,000 signatures and it is clearly time the county council thought again. For what is lost can so rarely ever be restored.
Of course, the 350 new jobs at the store and warehouses promised by the Sainsbury development are to be welcomed – although one always needs to count those against the prospect of job losses in other retail outlets.
The proposed £40 million development will see the construction of 79 new homes and apartments, of which 50 per cent will be 'affordable'.
There will be a recycling centre, conservation and public park area, as well as improvements to the adjacent Brindley's Corn Mill and Conservative Workingmen's Club. There will be bus services and upgrading of local roads. All to the good.
But alongside that comes the elimination of Leek roundabout for a gaudy forest of traffic lights, likened by campaigners to the Blackpool illuminations. Eight-year-old Alexandra Eeley, a Westwood First School pupil, had the right idea when she wrote to the Prime Minister complaining that, "it would not look better with lights and it would look all boring." It certainly would. Something distinctive and unique will becoming something bland and dull.
The concerns of the Royal British Legion (RBL) are equally compelling.
"Members are all of the opinion that the traffic island must stay," said Fred Duffield, pictured below left, secretary of the Leek branch of the RBL. "It would be disrespectful to the servicemen who this memorial is dedicated to." It is also disrespectful to the residents of Leek.
I'm not sure J Sainsbury plc has covered itself in glory when it comes to urban architecture in North Staffordshire.
While the staff and managers of the Stoke store, for instance, make it a great environment for shopping, the shed which sits in London Road is no great work of civic design. And they have a bit of a cheek calling it 'Minton House'.
There is also a worrying tendency among some developers to think they can get away with second best in North Staffordshire. The supermarket designs we get are not the ones proposed in Derby, Cheltenham or parts of Manchester and Birmingham.
There is an assumption local authorities will always say 'yes'.
I, for one, still remain horrified by plans to rebrand the East-West Shopping Precinct in Hanley as 'City Sentral.' It is patronising, wrong-headed and embarrassing. It shows a lack of respect for local opinion and pride – and is the same mind set which allows J Sainsbury's to ruin Leek roundabout. It is not as if supermarkets stay around forever. In Stoke-on-Trent we see supermarkets opening and closing with furious speed.
In Newcastle, one Sainsbury's has closed for another to open. But no-one remembers another supermarket or traffic light.
What they do remember is something different and unexpected, like the green acreage of Leek's roundabout.
It is somewhere to look forward to, not simply pass through.
In theory, the consultation on the road layout remains open until November. In reality, the county council isn't going to budge.
On the very site of a war memorial, the local authority has surrendered to Sainsbury's wishes. And in the future, my drive to the Peaks will have lost just a little of its magic.
A public campaign to save an 80 year old roundabout in the Staffordshire Moorlands town of Leek
Friday, November 4, 2011
Lets fight this obscene move- Brian Pointon
I see after the comments made by Councillor Ralphs that I need to again get out my chain ready for another campaign to save our roundabout.
How is it that councillors who do not live in Leek seem to be at the forefront to get rid of our landmarks?
They are demolishing our town bit by bit. Replacing the roundabout with a memorial garden this is not what the roundabout is about, it's part of our town's history.
Come on Leek, get together and fight this obscene move.
Our roundabout is now world news not just a local issue.
How is it that councillors who do not live in Leek seem to be at the forefront to get rid of our landmarks?
They are demolishing our town bit by bit. Replacing the roundabout with a memorial garden this is not what the roundabout is about, it's part of our town's history.
Come on Leek, get together and fight this obscene move.
Our roundabout is now world news not just a local issue.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Have planners visited the town?- Jayne Baxter
I am writing to reiterate the strength of feeling about the proposed road changes around Leek. On a weekly basis I read the disgruntled letters that have appeared and wonder whether the Highway planners have ever set foot into the town to observe the flow of traffic at different times of the day?
My objections arise not from sentiment but from the practicalities. Are the planners aware of the topography of Overton Bank? I witnessed the difficulties experienced by a heavy lorry travelling from Macclesfield stationery on Mill St. It was pouring with rain and the road conditions slippy. The traffic jam was considerable as the lorry driver attempted to move with spinning wheels and no grip. When traffic lights and delays are introduced then this will happen frequently The no right turn directive will send all traffic toward Stoke through the cente of town. As we all know to avoid the lights people will lead the side streets and the area will be a rat run. And of course this is in an area with the Safer Routes to school initiative- let the children ravelling to school beware
Common sense says that a re-think of these plans is a priority. I have a lovely old picture of old Leek of sheep travelling along Mill St. Let not the modern motorist be driven like lambs to the slaughter
My objections arise not from sentiment but from the practicalities. Are the planners aware of the topography of Overton Bank? I witnessed the difficulties experienced by a heavy lorry travelling from Macclesfield stationery on Mill St. It was pouring with rain and the road conditions slippy. The traffic jam was considerable as the lorry driver attempted to move with spinning wheels and no grip. When traffic lights and delays are introduced then this will happen frequently The no right turn directive will send all traffic toward Stoke through the cente of town. As we all know to avoid the lights people will lead the side streets and the area will be a rat run. And of course this is in an area with the Safer Routes to school initiative- let the children ravelling to school beware
Common sense says that a re-think of these plans is a priority. I have a lovely old picture of old Leek of sheep travelling along Mill St. Let not the modern motorist be driven like lambs to the slaughter
Community leader throws down the gauntlet- roundabout or jobs?
A community leader has thrown down the gauntlet to protesters opposing the removal of Leek's landmark roundabout. Cllr A Hart says that people have a choice between the traffic island next to the Nicholson War memorial or a £45 million investment and hundreds of new jobs
Mr Hart spoke out as a petition to save the roundabout was launched to present to parliament. Under the Sainsbury plan to develop the area the roundabout would be demolished and replaced with traffic lights. Mr Hart said that under the present administration was elected administration was elected in May when several people stood on the roundabout issue
" At the election we were given a mandate by the people in the strongest possible way to carry on therefore the majority of the people are happy. Also the parish poll held in January where the majority of the people did not vote. People say that we are not creating jobs, when we do then we are beaten off with a stick. The question needs to be asked. Do you want the investment of £45 million or do you want the roundabout"
Cllr Pam Wood who was elected to the council on the platform of saving the roundabout believes that Sainsburys has bought Leek." It must be stated that the majority are not against the jobs or the investment which is a great thing, but not at the expense of the town centre"
Cllr Hart said it was madness to suggest that Sainsbury's has bought Leek. " What message is this sending out to investors who want to invest in Leek. Many people have been made redundant and are crying out for jobs. This is a real opportunity and we need to inject some reality into the situation
Mr Hart spoke out as a petition to save the roundabout was launched to present to parliament. Under the Sainsbury plan to develop the area the roundabout would be demolished and replaced with traffic lights. Mr Hart said that under the present administration was elected administration was elected in May when several people stood on the roundabout issue
" At the election we were given a mandate by the people in the strongest possible way to carry on therefore the majority of the people are happy. Also the parish poll held in January where the majority of the people did not vote. People say that we are not creating jobs, when we do then we are beaten off with a stick. The question needs to be asked. Do you want the investment of £45 million or do you want the roundabout"
Cllr Pam Wood who was elected to the council on the platform of saving the roundabout believes that Sainsburys has bought Leek." It must be stated that the majority are not against the jobs or the investment which is a great thing, but not at the expense of the town centre"
Cllr Hart said it was madness to suggest that Sainsbury's has bought Leek. " What message is this sending out to investors who want to invest in Leek. Many people have been made redundant and are crying out for jobs. This is a real opportunity and we need to inject some reality into the situation
No need to consult over highway alterations says Cllr Wain
Development chiefs hit back at the barrage of critism after it emerged that they failed to notify English Heritage over controversal road alterations that will reshape the town centre
As part of the move to bring Sainsburys to the Churnets work site SMDC has approved a host of road changes
Last month it emerged that EH have not been consulted on the plans which includes work around listed buildings such as St Edward church.
However development boss Edwin Wain has hit out at community leaders outraged by the relevation
He said " Stories in the media gave the impression that the council should consult EH on the town centre highway changes approved as part of the Sainsbury planning application at the Churnet Works
Guidance published at English Heritage clearly states that when a local authority feels that the work carried out would affect a grade listed building it must consult with EH
But Cllr Wain believes that there is no need to do this but the Council might consult voluntary contact the agency.
As part of the move to bring Sainsburys to the Churnets work site SMDC has approved a host of road changes
Last month it emerged that EH have not been consulted on the plans which includes work around listed buildings such as St Edward church.
However development boss Edwin Wain has hit out at community leaders outraged by the relevation
He said " Stories in the media gave the impression that the council should consult EH on the town centre highway changes approved as part of the Sainsbury planning application at the Churnet Works
Guidance published at English Heritage clearly states that when a local authority feels that the work carried out would affect a grade listed building it must consult with EH
But Cllr Wain believes that there is no need to do this but the Council might consult voluntary contact the agency.
Our roundabout is iconic of Leek- Ken Pepper
It angers me to see how the face of our town can be defaced by the night of the giant retailers such as Sainsburys: I refer of course to the proposed removal of our roundabout so that we can have an alternative venue to purchase our baked beans and cat food.
Sainsburys know that the local council does not have the financial clout to stand up to the them and fight them in court and those massive companies steam roller over everything and anyone in their path who protests against what they are doing.
I have to ask do we need another supermarket? It seems to me that Sainsburys will have the same range as Morrisons- and its not as if we are as big as Manchester or Birmingham. It only takes a few minutes to get from Churnet Works to Morrisons. In addition we also have a large Coop, Aldi Asda and Farmfoods to do our shopping. The town is well served by national chainstores.
What about the independents? Small businesses will suffer, the argument that Sainsbury will bring in people, they will visit Sainsburys and that is all they might visit the cafe and get home before their frozen food defrosts
Leek is becoming a clone town and identical shopping experience duplicated all over the country. We are being colonised, walk through Leek and check it out.
We need a town with individuality to attract people here, small business need to be encouraged not squeezed out by the retail giants. Our roundabout is iconic of Leek. With the monument behind it it is a beautiful little bit of the town and to think it replaced by a drab faceless traffic lights is tragic
Sainsburys know that the local council does not have the financial clout to stand up to the them and fight them in court and those massive companies steam roller over everything and anyone in their path who protests against what they are doing.
I have to ask do we need another supermarket? It seems to me that Sainsburys will have the same range as Morrisons- and its not as if we are as big as Manchester or Birmingham. It only takes a few minutes to get from Churnet Works to Morrisons. In addition we also have a large Coop, Aldi Asda and Farmfoods to do our shopping. The town is well served by national chainstores.
What about the independents? Small businesses will suffer, the argument that Sainsbury will bring in people, they will visit Sainsburys and that is all they might visit the cafe and get home before their frozen food defrosts
Leek is becoming a clone town and identical shopping experience duplicated all over the country. We are being colonised, walk through Leek and check it out.
We need a town with individuality to attract people here, small business need to be encouraged not squeezed out by the retail giants. Our roundabout is iconic of Leek. With the monument behind it it is a beautiful little bit of the town and to think it replaced by a drab faceless traffic lights is tragic
More important than shopping- Irene bethell
I am particularly concerned about our beautiful roundabout. The idea is hateful that some shops like Sainsbury can come along and dictate our town's road plan to us so that they can hasten their customers to their shops.
If it indeed had that effect. Like most other people I consider that roundabouts ease traffic flow, are low maintenance and don't rely on electricity to make them work.
I think that there are more important things than shopping. Where are the shoppers coming from? Macclesfield has a Sainsbury. Biddulph has a new one, we are inundated with supermarkets.
it is going to ruin things for our already hard pressed shops and small businesses. There is certainly isn't much money in people's pockets. We are in the grip of recession. What does Leek Council hope to gain from having a large supermarket like Sainsburys in its struggle for market share, against the wishes of a people it was elected to represent.
As for the programme of job creation I think we need to implement more intelligent schemes than those based on shopping and tourism
If it indeed had that effect. Like most other people I consider that roundabouts ease traffic flow, are low maintenance and don't rely on electricity to make them work.
I think that there are more important things than shopping. Where are the shoppers coming from? Macclesfield has a Sainsbury. Biddulph has a new one, we are inundated with supermarkets.
it is going to ruin things for our already hard pressed shops and small businesses. There is certainly isn't much money in people's pockets. We are in the grip of recession. What does Leek Council hope to gain from having a large supermarket like Sainsburys in its struggle for market share, against the wishes of a people it was elected to represent.
As for the programme of job creation I think we need to implement more intelligent schemes than those based on shopping and tourism
Decision is not Sainsbury's by Nick Reade
I see we have another article this week about the furore regarding the removal of the roundabout. It would be nice to hear a balanced argument to hear arguments both for and against
It also seems odd that there is a section highlighted in greenwhere Reg Davies calls for the boycott of Sainsbury, but it is not Sainsbury's decision but the council. It is the councils who have linked the highways improvement to Sainsbury's planning application, not the other wat around.
I believe it is also the case that the council offered a memorial garden which was rejected. As the roundabout is nothing to do with the memorial. It seems to me that other powers are at play here and it is more that people are pointing a finger at the big supermarket coming to Leek apparently to " tell us what to do". However that is itself contradictory as no one has protested againgstb the Morrison expansion, Asda taking over Netto or the proposed expansion of the Coop.
The arguments about Sainsbury have been done and dusted. The traffic plans seem sensible much like the ring road around Stone and you don't see any snarl ups there. Why not let them get on with it and see if it can be improving
This is one of the biggest changes to happen to Leek. It is also an important investment in money and people. I hope that people can look at a bigger picture
It also seems odd that there is a section highlighted in greenwhere Reg Davies calls for the boycott of Sainsbury, but it is not Sainsbury's decision but the council. It is the councils who have linked the highways improvement to Sainsbury's planning application, not the other wat around.
I believe it is also the case that the council offered a memorial garden which was rejected. As the roundabout is nothing to do with the memorial. It seems to me that other powers are at play here and it is more that people are pointing a finger at the big supermarket coming to Leek apparently to " tell us what to do". However that is itself contradictory as no one has protested againgstb the Morrison expansion, Asda taking over Netto or the proposed expansion of the Coop.
The arguments about Sainsbury have been done and dusted. The traffic plans seem sensible much like the ring road around Stone and you don't see any snarl ups there. Why not let them get on with it and see if it can be improving
This is one of the biggest changes to happen to Leek. It is also an important investment in money and people. I hope that people can look at a bigger picture
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Roundabout Campaigners will not be moved
Campaigners have pledged the fight is on to save Leek's landmark roundabout as news of its plight goes global.
Veterans residents and councillors have vowed to carry on the fight despite hopes of the retaining the traffic island seem to have been dashed by highway officials earlier this month.
Brian Pointon, a leading figure in the campaign to Your leek Paper he remains adamant that he will stand before the bulldozers to get his views heard
" We are continuing this fight, he said." I am going to chain myself to the roundabout, I will do this and I have been getting support about it"
The news has come that the plight of the stricken roundabout reached the States where a calender showcasing the island in all its splendour hit the printers.
Staffs Moorlands baker and roundabout crusader Sarah Gayton e-mailied Florida's Ocoee Community gazette in a bid to raise the bar of the fight to international levels
"The newspaper sticks up for little people",she said "I e-mailed them a little time ago and they lead with the story of the roundabout and they mentioned it again. Nobody has been listening ,we are doing everything in our power, but no one is listening"
Leek Deputy Mayor Cllr Pam Wood meanwhile said she is very aware that the people of Leek still want to challenge the decision to remove the roundabout
Veterans residents and councillors have vowed to carry on the fight despite hopes of the retaining the traffic island seem to have been dashed by highway officials earlier this month.
Brian Pointon, a leading figure in the campaign to Your leek Paper he remains adamant that he will stand before the bulldozers to get his views heard
" We are continuing this fight, he said." I am going to chain myself to the roundabout, I will do this and I have been getting support about it"
The news has come that the plight of the stricken roundabout reached the States where a calender showcasing the island in all its splendour hit the printers.
Staffs Moorlands baker and roundabout crusader Sarah Gayton e-mailied Florida's Ocoee Community gazette in a bid to raise the bar of the fight to international levels
"The newspaper sticks up for little people",she said "I e-mailed them a little time ago and they lead with the story of the roundabout and they mentioned it again. Nobody has been listening ,we are doing everything in our power, but no one is listening"
Leek Deputy Mayor Cllr Pam Wood meanwhile said she is very aware that the people of Leek still want to challenge the decision to remove the roundabout
Road Masterplan is unworkable- Rick Martin Bacon
It has been interesting to see those who are campaigning to get the proposed road changes to Leek stopped. They include the scare-mongers who claim that if Sainsbury's are not allowed to remove the monument they will get in a huff and remove their ball of 350 jobs unlikely they are here to make money, not change the landscape; attempts to label campaigners as dinosaurs- unfortunately the writer of the letter that included a fictional dinosaur in the letter title and another claimed that we were a "noisy" minority need to look at that referendum result again.
Now we have a claim from Cllr hart that unless we sit down and shut up we will destroy the Leek Masterplan.
Now call me an old cynic, if you will, but I think that this argument is the most hollow of all. For one, having not been consulted on the said masterplan I could not care two hoots about retaining an iconic feature of the Leek townscape allowing traditions to go on without the inclusion of the Green Cross Code and actually asking people who have to live with the consequences what they think it means then its back to the drawing board. Such considerations have to be included from the start
But a more pertinent question must be what masterplan?
There isn't one.
Yes there is a draft one, but just how sacrosanct that is can be judged by the fact the plan includes a draft multi storey car park on the High St car park, a site that will serve the town centre and ease parking problems for those who wish to park within a reasonable distance from where they intend to shop.
That all changed when a person decided that they wanted land to put up a privately owned cinebowl. Our leaders fell over themselves to change the masterplan
Now call me an old stick in the mud but that does suggest to me that the plan is amenable to change? Or does one man's business scheme trump the wishes of the 6,000 people who signed the petition who have signed the petition calling for road changes to be shelved. I would be interested in seeing how this relates to democracy
In short the road changes which includes cutting off the alternative route through the town , using the residential West End of Leek as traffic calming measures and stopping the people going about their business are unworkable and potentially catastrophic.
As in integral part of the masterplan then the masterplan is unworkable and needs to be changed. As as has been shown this can happen. The only obstacle is the council, and even though they may have forgotten this, they work for us. Time for them to be reminded.
Now we have a claim from Cllr hart that unless we sit down and shut up we will destroy the Leek Masterplan.
Now call me an old cynic, if you will, but I think that this argument is the most hollow of all. For one, having not been consulted on the said masterplan I could not care two hoots about retaining an iconic feature of the Leek townscape allowing traditions to go on without the inclusion of the Green Cross Code and actually asking people who have to live with the consequences what they think it means then its back to the drawing board. Such considerations have to be included from the start
But a more pertinent question must be what masterplan?
There isn't one.
Yes there is a draft one, but just how sacrosanct that is can be judged by the fact the plan includes a draft multi storey car park on the High St car park, a site that will serve the town centre and ease parking problems for those who wish to park within a reasonable distance from where they intend to shop.
That all changed when a person decided that they wanted land to put up a privately owned cinebowl. Our leaders fell over themselves to change the masterplan
Now call me an old stick in the mud but that does suggest to me that the plan is amenable to change? Or does one man's business scheme trump the wishes of the 6,000 people who signed the petition who have signed the petition calling for road changes to be shelved. I would be interested in seeing how this relates to democracy
In short the road changes which includes cutting off the alternative route through the town , using the residential West End of Leek as traffic calming measures and stopping the people going about their business are unworkable and potentially catastrophic.
As in integral part of the masterplan then the masterplan is unworkable and needs to be changed. As as has been shown this can happen. The only obstacle is the council, and even though they may have forgotten this, they work for us. Time for them to be reminded.
Petition aims for 8,000 names
Campaigners organising a petition to be presented to parliament in a bid to save the Leek roundabout have raised 3,000 signatures in one week.
As part of Sainsbury's plan to redevelop the Churnet Works site off the Macclesfield Rd, the town road network will undergo major restructuring.
This involves the roundabout in front of the Nicholson War Memorial, being demolished and replaced with traffic lights.
Campaigners hope to raise the 8,000 signatures which will then be given to Moorlands Karen Bradley eMP to present to Parliament..
Almost 25 years ago the then MP Sir David Knox presented a petition to Parliament calling for enquiries into proposals by Dixon Properties and the Moorland Council to redevelop the town. Following the petition junior minister William Wadergrave ordered a public enquiry.
However the property developers walked away before the enquiry was started.
As part of Sainsbury's plan to redevelop the Churnet Works site off the Macclesfield Rd, the town road network will undergo major restructuring.
This involves the roundabout in front of the Nicholson War Memorial, being demolished and replaced with traffic lights.
Campaigners hope to raise the 8,000 signatures which will then be given to Moorlands Karen Bradley eMP to present to Parliament..
Almost 25 years ago the then MP Sir David Knox presented a petition to Parliament calling for enquiries into proposals by Dixon Properties and the Moorland Council to redevelop the town. Following the petition junior minister William Wadergrave ordered a public enquiry.
However the property developers walked away before the enquiry was started.
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