Letter to the Editor written by Stuart Kenny, Director General of Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation

Letter to the Editor of The Comet Newspaper, published 8 October 2009.

At a time when The Comet is running its admirable ‘Buy Local’ campaign, which the Foundation supports, I am disappointed that Louise McEvoy chooses to speculate that Letchworth residents who wish to retain the four trees in Leys Square might boycott local shops.

The Foundation’s plans for the town centre, clearly aimed at improving the retail offer, were drawn up by LDA Design, whose international reputation in terms of urban design is second to none.  The plans were then the subject of widespread and lengthy public consultation before being approved by Hertfordshire Highways and NHDC.  The design of Leys Square had evolved from a desire on the part of the Town Centre Partnership for a large focal space in the heart of the town centre to accommodate the expanding Farmer’s Market, and indeed, other markets.  The Partnership and its Members recognise that such markets not only broaden the retail offer in Letchworth Garden City but add vibrancy to the town centre.

The Street Scene scheme has to be looked at as a whole.  In designing it, LDA Design built on detailed work undertaken by the Retail Group and others, creating two important focal points at the Colonnade and Leys Square, which had the specific function of drawing people through the town centre in a structured way in order to make it an enjoyable and attractive proposition.  Hence the central fountains and the ample provision for markets.

Nevertheless, when the extent of public disquiet in relation to the loss of the trees in Leys Square was made known, the Board of the Heritage Foundation considered that part of the Scheme, again, very carefully indeed.  In essence, the Board concluded that retaining the trees and changing the design would add considerable cost and delay to a scheme which was well and thoughtfully designed by LDA and subject to extensive consultation, which supported it.

The Board considered relocating the trees.  However, to give the trees the best prospect of success, that would be an expensive exercise and there was concern that some or all of the trees would not survive, given their present condition.

Finally, the Board considered carrying out ‘compensation planting’ elsewhere on the Estate.  They concluded that such planting would simply be an extension to the Foundation’s ongoing planting programme – we have already planted some 37,000 trees during the last 11 years and will be continuing to do so.

Having examined all these matters in great detail, and also cognisant of their responsibilities as Trustees of the Charity in terms of justifiable expenditure, the Board decided to press ahead with the existing scheme.

Against this backcloth, Sue Hogg’s comments in respect of democracy (Silent on the trees – The Comet 1 October) are as inappropriate as they are inaccurate.  The majority of the Foundation’s Governors – 16 of the 30 – are elected by the community, either through direct elections every 5 years or by Clubs and Societies whose interests mirror the Objects of the Foundation.  The Governors elect 7 of the 9 (not 8) Board Members.  The other two are Elected Members of HCC and NHDC. 

A.L Allen’s comments implying a relationship between the HELP Campaign and the Heritage Foundation are equally wide off the mark, as are Derek Hodgson’s, claiming that the Foundation is building two shops on the side of WH Smith.  Vale Retail, the owners of Garden Square Shopping Centre have proposed development there.

Last but not least, Mr Hodgson’s assertion that parents will soon have to take their children to the Common to see what a tree looks like is nonsense, given the number of trees to be evident in Letchworth town centre following the full implementation of this scheme.

All in all, our Street Scene scheme, in its totality, will massively improve the environment in Letchworth Garden City.  That, in turn, will attract shoppers, from near and far, to the benefit of our excellent retailers who deserve, and will continue to get our support.