THE wind of change is blowing its way through Hereford in the shape of bricks and mortar.

For years the cry has been 'nothing happens in Hereford, nothing ever changes.'

But it does. Just stop and look for a moment and the evidence is clear that much of the city is undergoing a change of face.

Old buildings are being spruced up, others demolished and replaced. In most cases the results are a fresh batch of homes to meet the voracious demand of would be owners.

For some there is concern that every nook and cranny in the city, and many large back gardens, will be packed with homes and Hereford will become a city of no empty spaces.

For others the growing need for people to find a home easily available to the city centre gets priority.

Many developments altering the character of Hereford are underway and the indications are that there is a rush to the city.

Below is a snapshot of just some of the recent, and current development taking place to help mould the progress of the city's home front well into the century.

New offices too, will soon be making their mark on the Hereford scene. Herefordshire Housing has permission to put up a 24,000 sq.ft HQ on land at Legion Way off Roman Road and near by AKE Ltd, which trains journalists to work in dangerous places abroad plan another building covering 8,000 sq.ft.

There is still much more waiting in the wings, some of it quite massive physical changes.

Soon to be decided is the plan to build an ASDA store near the Greyfriars Bridge including some town houses and changes to the trunk road and Belmont roundabout.

Bigger still is a mega proposal covering almost 100 acres and including Hereford Market and Edgar Street football ground. Watch this space.

Riverside

outlook

for homes

PEOPLE said farewell to the old General Hospital last year - now it is being prepared for its next role in life.

By this time in 2004 the building and grounds will provide 88 separate homes with a brand new address - Victoria Bridge.

The development is being constructed by Laing Homes of Birmingham and they hope the first release will be announced next month, although no guide prices are currently available.

Of the 88 homes, half will have views over the River Wye.

The old hospital and an adjoining wing will accommodate 45 one, two or three bedroom apartments-in the grounds will be 43 town houses on three storeys.

Laing Homes say they have had many inquiries and expect the project to be completed in the Spring of next year.

Returning to

family use

FOR 40 years the Woodpecker Club provided a place of fun and leisure for people employed by the Bulmers cider company - but no longer.

The building on the corner of Ryelands Street and Whitecross Road has been demolished to make room for 22 homes.

The old Woodpecker Club started its life as the family home of a local family.

Now it has been knocked down to be replaced by 22 maisonettes for 22 other families.

Jennings of Shrewsbury are behind the project which could be completed at the end of the year.

Springing up on Antelope site

THE old Antelope pub was almost hidden away in a hollow at the end of Barton Road.

Its successor, to be known as Barton West is likely to become a landmark.

It will stand four storeys high and be home to 12 luxury apartments.

These sumptuous homes are being built by local builders IE Developments and spokesman Tim Evans says they are of the highest standard.

The new Barton West will be a modern building with lots of glass and a gull roof. There will be balconies, a lift, handmade kitchens and bathrooms , a video controlled entrance and a substantial fence will separate it from the busy Barton Road.

The two bedroom apartments are priced from between £189,000 and £225,000, the most expensive being the penthouses with extensive views.

It seems they are being snapped up - local house agents Brightwells say eight have already been booked after advertising in The Hereford Times.

Barton West is expected to be completed at the end of the year.

Roman Road car showroom site

ROMAN Road east in Hereford is being cast as 'car city'.

Over the years a complex of car sales and show rooms has developed along the area round Legion Way.

The latest to make an appearance, and nearing completion, is a modern base for a new BMW dealership.

Owned by Cotswold Motors of Cheltenham it has bought out the old Hereford firm of Browns in Whitecross Road and taken over the BMW franchise.

Just a memory left on

former cider mill site

FEW streets in Hereford have faced such a transformation as Ryelands Street.

Once buzzing centre of Bulmers cider business it is now, in comparison, almost a tranquil residential area.

For almost a century it was the hub of cider making with millions of tons of apples being turned into millions of gallons of the golden drink.

As it grew, so the houses sprang up around it.

But like most good things they come to an end and the fate of the old cider mill was sealed when Bulmers decided to concentrate its business at its other premises across Whitecross Road.

Moved on

Late in 1999 saw the start of the demolition of the six-acre Ryelands Street cider complex.

Today there are no signs that it ever existed.

In its place stand 122 houses and maisonettes, some sold to a housing association and all in a price bracket of £75,000 to £165,000.

It was reported this week that only four remain to be sold.

Work on former Eye Hospital site

THE former Victoria Eye Hospital (right) is undergoing major surgery.

The modern annexe is being amputated and the old Victorian style hospital given an injection of new life.

It is being divided up in perpendicular fashion to provide town houses and some of the land round it will also be developed by Jennings Homes.

In all the hospital site will accommodate a total of 24 town houses and some are likely to be available at the end of the year.

Gateway to

Hereford

TAYLORS Court stands on the gateway to Hereford from the south.

The red brick apartment block covers a corner of land at the junction of St Martins Street and close to the Belmont roundabout.

Once it was the site for a fuel depot, then remained empty for some years, now it is an imposing block with 15 two-bedroom flats.

Half a dozen are already let, with rents around £125 a week.

The apartment block has been put up by builder Nick Taylor, member of the well known and long established Hereford Taylor family, and is close to many leisure and shopping facilities and within walking distance of the city centre.

The Taylors have made it known they would like to develop a similar block to the north of the city, on the site of the old Bulls Head, latterly The Sportsman pub.

l Barrs Court Road is another area of transformation. Old buildings which served a variety of trades have been demolished and the original sites and surrounding land on the same side as the railway station filled with homes of various shapes and sizes.

Coningsby Street too, is facing a make-over. The Davies Brook soft drinks company moved out of its long established home to modern premises at Moreton-on-Lugg to be replaced by a batch of city centre homes.

Across the city in Friars Street, developers MacCarthy and Stone are responsible for Watkins Court, comprising 53 retirement homes.

This was a controversial site, many people wanting the land formerly occupied by Watklins flour mills to be annexed for Lord Scudamore School nearby.

The home-front won the day, building almost complete and 50 per cent of the one and two bed-room flats already bought or reserved.