Hereford of the future ?

8:52pm Saturday 10th November 2007

I had the day off work yesterday.

I needed it.

The shock of surviving 34 summers so far....(it was my birthday).



I decided to take a trip to Cardiff on the train.

Cardiff is a city I haven't really spent much time in for quite a few years, but last time I was there I could see the redevelopment initiatives under full steam.

Specifically, I was heading towards Cardiff Bay.

An hour on the train and a 5 minute bus ride and I was there.

It certainly looked different from when I was here last.

Gone was the run down dockside environment. Instead, before me lay one of the strangest buildings I've ever seen - Wales Millennium Centre . It is the focal point for Arts and Theatre in the Welsh capital. Quite a startling bit of architecture drawing you into the quite eclectic surrounds of the 'new' Cardiff Bay. Fans of the BBC series Torchwood (of which I am one) will find an extra buzz as the silver, watery monument standing just before the WMC is the overt landmark for the hidden (fictitious, I may add) headquarters known as Torchwood 2.

The old and new fit very well together. From the 'postcard' Norwegian Church to the uber-modern Senedd

All this got me thinking....

It won't be on such a grand scale, but Hereford has a real chance to make something of itself with the Edgar Street Grid project. The formation of the Left Bank Village was a step in the right direction.

Obviously, there are issues to be addressed such as amicable relocation of businesses that are currently located on the redevelopment site (see here).

Hopefully, this can all be sorted out and we can make a start of bringing Hereford into the 21st Century whilst maximising on the ambience and pervading history of the City.

Come on ESG and Hereford Council - don't screw up on this one.