I FEAR that short-sighted vision and a lack of joined-up thinking are threatening the golden opportunity that the Edgar Street Grid presents for the long-term future of Hereford.

Too much emphasis is being placed on the issue of whether a large retailer will be the foundation on which much of the development will depend, when there are plenty of other schemes that can be placed on the site which would produce a benefit to the population on many levels.

First of all, a Civic Quarter would serve as a central focus of the political and cultural heart of the city. The council has been mandated to centralise its facilities, and here is a chance for council offices, services and especially the council chamber to be integrated at one location.

Three years ago the Labour Party, with significant input from the library users’ group, put forward the visionary idea of the Herefordshire Centre.

More than just a library, the centre would serve as an information point, a space for cultural events, meetings, exhibits, small shops and cafes. The scope of this bold innovation has been progressively whittled away by the ESG developers.

Herefordshire also has the potential for its own university. Combining the county’s existing further education facilities could turn it into a centre of excellence in fields such as agriculture, food, eco-tourism and the environment.

Money from the European Union and Advantage West Midlands is now being targeted on the development of skills, so there is scope for funding in this area.

Finally, no new development in the city should be considered without the provision of affordable homes built on sustainable principles.

Other towns are marching into the future with innovative, environmentally sound designs, and we have in the county architects who specialise in these carbon neutral homes.

None of these ideas are dependent on a superstore or a major retailer, but each of them would bring in turn new demands for services, restaurants and amenities. The shops in High Town would surely benefit from all the increased activity in the city centre.

Each of these projects is realistic and achievable, but it is up to the leaders of the council and the ESG developers to look to the future and allow themselves to embrace a vision of Hereford that is dynamic and will serve the entire community on a variety of levels.

TIM BROWN, Moorfield Street, Hereford.