Kinloch Road Regeneration - Have your say!!!

[Kintyre Forum News]

Kinloch Road Regeneration - Public Realm Improvements - Have your Say

Let us know what you think of the design proposals...

Background info

The new road being built at Park Square will create a new gateway into the heart of Campbeltown – traffic will come into the town via Kinloch Road to the quayside, passing the new ACHA housing development, Kinloch Park, Aqualibrium and the newly refurbished Royal Hotel.

The public realm improvements project will link these new developments and improve the appearance of town.
Details

The public realm works will make improvements to pedestrian areas - linking the new developments along this new important route into the town centre. The improvements will co-ordinate with the new road and area outside the refurbished Royal Hotel, aiming to create an improved appearance along the whole street.

The improvements proposed include resurfacing of footways, pedestrian crossings, street lighting. To see the all the improvements you can view the drawings (which were on display at the recent drop-in event in Campbeltown) using the link below.

Public realm proposals - click here

Bus terminus park proposals

Alternatively, the plans will be on display in the THI office at 3 Harvey’s Lane, Burnside Square, Campbeltown from Wednesday 28th September. Feel free to pop in and have a look at the plans, and you can note your comments on the forms in the THI office.

We would be grateful for your comments by Friday 14th October, so please send us your feedback by then.

You can also submit comments online at

http://www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/forms/kin ... e-your-say

[John S]

First I have seen these plans and I have to say I am not at all happy with them. I would have preferred to see the area around the quay and roundabout improved rather than the bus terminus area . My suggestion was that it should be developed as a car park and the bus terminus moved but councillor Kelly and myself were out-voted by a council officer (who is allowed to vote on project issues). If you think this not the improvement you would like to see please make your views known

[smiles]

I would have preferred to see the area around the quay and roundabout improved rather than the bus terminus area . My suggestion was that it should be developed as a car park and the bus terminus moved but councillor Kelly and myself were out-voted by a council officer (who is allowed to vote on project issues).

Why do you think this is a good idea? Is this a personal view of yourself and Councillor Kelly or have you consulted the people you represent?

[John S]

Why do you think this is a good idea? Is this a personal view of yourself and Councillor Kelly or have you consulted the people you represent?

It's based on the feedback received from the public and local shops. Many people think that Burnside square should not be a car park as it was always intended to be a public space for events. Local shopkeepers have complained that to use it as such would affect their business as the parking in Burnside Square is close to shops and alternatives are further away, they also complain that there is generally a lack of parking near the town centre (which I think is debatable).

If the area at the Bus Terminus was developed as a car park, Burnside Square could be freed up.

Smiles, you will see from the links this is a consultation, people are free to express an opinion, I have expressed mine which is based on feedback from the community.

[erchiepeenkles]

And where do you plan to move the bus terminus to? I can't really think of an area suitable

[Kintyre Forum News]

First I have seen these plans and I have to say I am not at all happy with them.

John, Were they not available at the CHORD open day last month?

[WC1]

First I have seen these plans and I have to say I am not at all happy with them.

John, Were they not available at the CHORD open day last month?

Yes, they were. It was kind of hard to miss them.

There are several issues here, not least of which is where the bus terminus could go that is more convenient and less potentially disruptive than at present. Ideas on a postcard to Cllr Semple please.

Secondly, it's not just a matter of making more parking available (even if that were possible). The whole question of traffic management needs a long hard look. There was a traffic management plan for Campbeltown at one time, as I remember it being discussed at the "Local Initiative Working Group" under the chairmanship of George McMillan when I was a member years and years ago. Nothing ever came of it. Time to dig it out of the archives and give it another look. Strangely enough, experience of the recent road works suggests that making the Main Street/Kinloch Road junction a proper T junction rather than a roundabout might improve things a little. It would give the opportunity to pedestrianise the area between the roundabout, the Christian Institute and Woolworths, which could include a space for pipe band performances, etc. Even putting down some road markings at the roundabout would help.

Thirdly, why empty Burnside Square of cars all of the time just because it's a "public space" some of the time? On how many occasions in the average year is the square required for public events? I would dispute Cllr Semple's assertion that it "was always intended to be a public space for events". That was one of its intended functions, but not its only one. It was always intended to be a car park the rest of the time.

Fourthly, if we want to reduce congestion and improve parking and accessibility in the town centre, could we have a look at the impact of moving the Council's office functions into the Christian Institute and Burnet Building? One of the unfortunate and no doubt unintended consequences of this has been the amount of parking space in the town centre now occupied by council employees all day on weekdays, to the detriment of shoppers and visitors.

[smiles]

Why do you think this is a good idea? Is this a personal view of yourself and Councillor Kelly or have you consulted the people you represent?

Smiles, you will see from the links this is a consultation, people are free to express an opinion, I have expressed mine which is based on feedback from the community.

John, that is fine and thanks. I just wanted to ask if it was a personal view. I'm not sure when the consultation with regards parking was but I didn't get the chance to engage in this. Thanks again.

[John S]

First I have seen these plans and I have to say I am not at all happy with them.

John, Were they not available at the CHORD open day last month?

Yes, they were. It was kind of hard to miss them.

There are several issues here, not least of which is where the bus terminus could go that is more convenient and less potentially disruptive than at present. Ideas on a postcard to Cllr Semple please.

Secondly, it's not just a matter of making more parking available (even if that were possible). The whole question of traffic management needs a long hard look. There was a traffic management plan for Campbeltown at one time, as I remember it being discussed at the "Local Initiative Working Group" under the chairmanship of George McMillan when I was a member years and years ago. Nothing ever came of it. Time to dig it out of the archives and give it another look. Strangely enough, experience of the recent road works suggests that making the Main Street/Kinloch Road junction a proper T junction rather than a roundabout might improve things a little. It would give the opportunity to pedestrianise the area between the roundabout, the Christian Institute and Woolworths, which could include a space for pipe band performances, etc. Even putting down some road markings at the roundabout would help.

Yeah, I was unable to attend the open day KFN.

WC1 makes a good point, and a scheme was produced which would have enhanced the whole area around the cross as a pedestrian area, right across to the Christian Institute in behind it, and to the Factory Shop, with a junction at the bottom of Main St. The road from Kinloch Road to Hall St would be continuous. Unfortunately it was not favored in terms of cost. However enhancing the center of town as a people place, would seem to me to be better than the bottom end of Kinloch Road. I dare say if enough comments are submitted to the consultation which support this idea then it may allow that change. I have stuck a drawing of the alternative proposal on my Facebook Casebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/168869009687/

[Mr Plod]

This is not a rant. It's just my personal opinion as someone who has chosen to live here, and who wants his adopted homeplace to thrive.

I would like to see the whole town centre pedestrianised with traffic flowing around and not through it. You could easily pedestrianise Longrow South from it's junction with Main street to it's Junction with Union Street. Vehicular access to the carpark in Burnside Square would be unaffected by this. You could also pedestrianise Main Street from it's Junction with Bolgam Street/Shore Street up as far as it's Junction with Cross Sreet/Kirk Street thereby still permitting vehicular access to Bolgam Street, Shore Street, Kirk Street and Cross Street all of which are one way streets leading off the Main Street. This would provide a safe pedestrian area where one could place sufficient seating and planting which people could enjoy whilst visiting the shops. And maybe the Cross could be re-sited at it's original location.

There are many takeaway food shops in the town centre but there is nowhere for people to sit in comfort to consume their takeaway food in pleasant surroundings. And our excellent young pipers could march up and down the precinct to the enjoyment of all.

I know that the shopkeepers will "go mental" at any suggestion of removing the 20 or so parking places in main street. 20 parking places I would add that some of them are also taken up by 9 to 5 workers who leave their vehicles there all day most week days.

I don't think pedestrianising the town centre would be detrimental to the local shops. My wife ran a business from a shop in Longrow south and no-one could park outside her business but it had no effect whatsoever on her takings. If you have something for sale that people need or desire, at a price they like, they will spend their money on your wares and come back again and again.

Campbeltown is a real gem, and a lot of good hearted local people are working hard to progress the town's development. We should be developing the town with a view to creating a better environment for all, citizens and tourists alike. Everywhere I go I promote the town and invite people to visit and when they do come they bemoan the fact that there is nowhere to sit other than Hall Street, where they can look on in wonder at the filth floating in the water at the foot of the steps there.

There is plenty of parking space in Kinloch Road, Longrow, Hall Street and the Esplanade. Burnside Square can be made available to events organisers if they apply to the local authority for a road closure on the day of the planned event. The rest of the time it could remain a parking area.

I just want to be able to buy a Roll on sausage with onions and broon sauce from my favourite grub shop, and have somewhere nearby to sit, eat my grub and watch the world pass me by, not spend 20 minutes waiting for a parking place to present itself.

Kind regards

Keith

[Nancie]

I'm a bit concerned that council officers can outvote elected councillors, John

When did that start?

[John S]

Hi Nancie, it was part of the agreed CHORD management arrangements - project boards would have a link officer who would have decision making powers. The original proposals were that there would no local decision making powers and only one management board for all 5 projects.

[John S]

And where do you plan to move the bus terminus to? I can't really think of an area suitable

well I reckon the car park will hold about 40 - 60 cars moving the bus terminus to either side of it wouldn't seem to be impossible.

[Swanseajock]

I think Mr Plod's proposals are well out, well thought out and would be a good way forward for the centre of the town.

[Kintyre Forum News]

Its difficult to post the full image but here is the one of the proposals of the triangle at the Bus Terminus. Views on this proposal and the public realm proposals can be found at http://www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/forms/kin ... e-your-say

The triangle as it is is actually one of the nicest places to sit. Well if it is maintained..