Doomed plans for Britain’s ‘Venice’ laid bare – from driverless cars to its own amphitheatre in £2.8billion development | 7828W98

Doomed plans for Britain's 'Venice' laid bare – from driverless cars to its own amphitheatre in £2.8billion development | 7828W98 | 2024-03-08 06:08:01

In 2017, formidable proposals have been unveiled to create one among "most lovely new cities in

CONCERN is rising that plans to create a "Venice of Britain" in a £2.3billion improvement on the south coast are on the verge of collapsing.

In 2017, formidable proposals have been unveiled to create one among "most lovely new cities in England", at the heart of which is a shocking canal.

Doomed plans for Britain's 'Venice' laid bare – from driverless cars to its own amphitheatre in £2.8billion development

The landmark venture promised a state-of-the-art waterside town with driverless cars, 1,500 charming homes, grazing donkeys and ponies, a marina, and even its own amphitheatre.

Concerned within the designs for the brand new town – Fawley Waterside – have been King Charles' favourite architects who have worked on tasks for the monarch and his estates.

The proposed 300-acre website in Fawley is situated on the water at the fringe of Hampshire's celebrated New Forest National Park.

At the website previously was Fawley Power Station, nevertheless its 650ft chimney was blown up in 2021 as part of the plans to "rework a rich part of our industrial heritage into a thriving residential and business waterside group".

Fawley Waterside is the imaginative and prescient of rich businessman Aldred Drummond, who owns the neighbouring Cadland Property.

Nevertheless, locals at the moment are frightened Mr Drummond's "masterplan" was too formidable – and he has stepped away from the day-to-day operating of the challenge.

Concern has additionally been raised over a scarcity of progress – as houses that have been expected in 2023 have still not been constructed.

Fawley Waterside – Mr Drummond's firm – stated it's launching a "evaluate" over its plans.

In 2017 there was celebration when it was introduced a brand new city would come to the south coast, promising trendy houses, a faculty a lodge, a new nature park, and hundreds of jobs.

There was even speak of a revolving restaurant 650ft in the sky at the prime of Fawley's chimney while it still existed.

Fawley Power Station – where scenes from Han Solo and Mission Impossible 5 have been shot – has been demolished to make approach for the town.

In 2020, the New Forest Nationwide Park Authority and New Forest District Council gave it the go-ahead on the condition legal agreements have been signed.

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Nevertheless, four years have rumbled on without any being signed and locals have turn out to be "nervous" after Mr Drummond announced he is stepping back.

District councillor David Harrison, who represents the world for Hampshire County Council, stated: "Aldred Drummond was the chief driver behind the whole venture.

"It was an formidable undertaking which held the prospect of latest houses, including reasonably priced houses for a lot of people, the prospect of a lot of jobs – notably in the maritime sector – and a superbly designed new town with a variety of environmental elements.

"This may be a big and unwelcome improvement if it turns out the scheme will finally be dropped or drastically scaled again.

"It promised so much when it comes to the economic increase, jobs, and housing it might deliver – an enormous quantity of work has gone into it.

"Hopefully there gained't be a less formidable challenge to be thought-about.

"I hope it doesn't mean a scaling again of reasonably priced housing because there is a large want for that within the New Forest Space."

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Fawley Parish Council chairman Alan Alvey stated of Mr Drummond stepping again: "I was stunned and a bit nervous and questioned whether it instructed a change in proposal for the scheme."

Cllr Alvey added: "I simply hope if there are any modifications that they hold the same top quality improvement that's deliberate.

"I feel if the size of it's decreased, I don't see that as a problem.

"I feel it's the quality of the development, notably the housing that was the promoting level for me."

Businessman Mr Drummond – dubbed one of the "Leaders of Great Britain" – has had ties to the world because the 1950s, when his family's manor home was knocked right down to make approach for the facility station.

In a press release, a Fawley Waterside spokesperson stated: "Aldred Drummond has stepped back from day-to-day administration of the location, but remains part of a firmly dedicated group of buyers behind the undertaking.

"The staff is at present within the strategy of working with its advisors to evaluation the present plans for the scheme and to determine the subsequent steps to advance the development of the location, and we look ahead to sharing further news sooner or later."

Locals on social media steered the plans are too unrealistic.

"There's simply no place these days for vainness tasks", one stated. "The days of empire, and financial extravagance, are lengthy gone.

'HARD TIMES'

"Exhausting occasions are right here, and the rich at the moment are struggling to get richer, however the poor are still getting poorer."

One sceptic added: "Crippling interest rates and the rise in the price of raw materials have stuffed this scheme up. They will't increase the additional funds which might be needed."

Recruited to work on Fawley Waterside have been noted architects Ben Pentreath and Leon Krier.

Mr Pentreath has worked on "multiple tasks" with the Duchy of Cornwall, owned by King Charles, while Mr Krier was behind the masterplan for Poundbury at King Charles' request.