Bradford | Odeon - New Victoria Place | Canc

[*-City Of Bradford-*]

Come on Bradford, lets fight against the Odeon.

please!

[The Odeon Crusader]

The post above is a wind up surely? The first paragraph contradicts the second...

[Dan B]

If they are to be believed, that sounds like a colossal waste of money to add on to the so far colossal waste of money to the figure of £4.5m. If that is indeed their plan (maybe they'll go bust though before they can implement it), are they not quite getting the message or do they think that will make us all turn around and say, hey New Victoria Place isn't a bad proposal after all?

[The Odeon Crusader]

Originally Posted by *-City Of Bradford-*

The developers are having alot of problems, most of the money after Langtree Artisan were chosen has come purely from Yorkshire Foward.

If Yorkshire Forward are now practically funding this scheme, then there are a number of issues with that. The "legal agreement" that prevented sale of the Odeon to the likes of Nirmal Singh is surely voided by Langtree Artisan's failure to deliver the scheme financially?

Additionally, this would make Yorkshire Forward actual "developers" - I thought European legislation had been cited as a reason why YF and BCR had to bring in developers (in this case via a seriously flawed design competition in 2005)...

Watch this space!

[*-City Of Bradford-*]

Originally Posted by The Odeon Crusader

If Yorkshire Forward are now practically funding this scheme, then there are a number of issues with that. The "legal agreement" that prevented sale of the Odeon to the likes of Nirmal Singh is surely voided by Langtree Artisan's failure to deliver the scheme financially?

Additionally, this would make Yorkshire Forward actual "developers" - I thought European legislation had been cited as a reason why YF and BCR had to bring in developers (in this case via a seriously flawed design competition in 2005)...

Watch this space!

I get what your saying, Langtree Artisan have put a tiny bit of money into this project so far, avecourse its mostly been Yorkshire Foward so far.

[Dan B]

Originally Posted by The Odeon Crusader

If Yorkshire Forward are now practically funding this scheme, then there are a number of issues with that. The "legal agreement" that prevented sale of the Odeon to the likes of Nirmal Singh is surely voided by Langtree Artisan's failure to deliver the scheme financially?

Additionally, this would make Yorkshire Forward actual "developers" - I thought European legislation had been cited as a reason why YF and BCR had to bring in developers (in this case via a seriously flawed design competition in 2005)...

Watch this space!

A very interesting point, they can't go and develop it by themselves, it would be unlawful. They would have to find another developer if Langtree Artisan can't provide that function and who knows how long that would take? I think by that point they ought to give up and accept that they've failed to develop it and hand it over to the other plan, but given their tenacious stubbornness I doubt we'd see that.


Just saw this on skyscrapernews:

Originally Posted by Skyscrapernews

New Plans For Bradford Odeon Site

Published on 30-06-2009 by Skyscrapernews.com

Part of the planned regeneration of the Yorkshire city of Bradford is this new development to go on the historic Odeon site near the city centre.

The proposals called New Victoria Place are being developed by Langtree Artisan who are the preferred partner for local regeneration body Yorkshire Forward. Their previous plans included the demolition of the Odeon cinema, and the construction of new four buildings along with a newly landscaped public realm between them with a grouping of close knit tall buildings dominating the centre of the site.

This design was exhibited to the public in October 2008 as part of the consultancy process for the scheme complete with the to-be demolished Odeon and its domes in the background of some of the images of the new proposals.

The current plans have been substantially revised with the centerpiece of the scheme now being a 13 storey hotel building with a particularly angular design. At the base the solid cladding of the tower angles inwards with the sandstone cladding revealing glass cladding along one end of its bottom.

Recessed, slender vertical strips of full height glazing run continuously up the sides of the tower emphasing height despite the buildings relatively stumpy form. Adding to this in a subtle manner is the gently angled flat roof.

Not everyone has welcomed the scheme and indeed it has proved contentious to many. There is a plan to save the Odeon cinema from demolition with local businessman Nirmal Singh hoping he can attract an investor into a joint venture to buy the Odeon and turn it into a boutique hotel and nightclub with the cinema left intact. He does not however own the site and so far no financial partners for his plans have been found.

A more widespread campaign though has been championed by others believing it is one of the best art-deco buildings in Bradford. Many of the original details of the building including the external white and orange terracotta tiles have remained in good condition under the concrete they were covered with.

Ironically English Heritage refused the listing of the Odeon in 1996, 2001 and 2005 claiming the removal of the original tiles as one of the major reasons for their decision but now the exterior has been revealed to still exist this has been cited as being of little relevance to the heritage quango.

So far the public body in charge, Bradford Centre Regeneration, has spent of £4.9 million of public money on the New Victoria Place scheme with little to show so far.

No matter what happens, the plans are unlikely to become reality any time soon though, not least as Bradford has a less than impressive record of delivering major regeneration projects in its centre.

http://www.skyscrapernews.com/news.php?ref=2181


Nice article, just a few errors here and there. The article states the hotel as the centrepiece for the new design, though we're unsure what this design will be. It seems they're mostly changing the building fronting the site onto Princes Way facing the centre of town and City Hall. The angular hotel (about the only decent part of the scheme) is from the previous design, I don't know if it will continue into the next design or be the centrepiece. We have to wait until they unveil it sometime in the summer, that is unless you're privy to some plans we don't know about, sounds like the same design though.

As for BORG and Nirmal Singh's plans for the Odeon, it has been claimed (mostly by the local rag) that the cinema will be left intact but this isn't the case, the auditorium will be used as a 2,200 + concert venue (a conservative estimate, it did house approximately 3,300 in its heyday). There's also suggestion that the hotel element may be removed, then having other uses (I would hope leisure and/or retail) due to the proximity of another U/C hotel & office complex just over Thornton Road, The Southgate Complex.

Also the orange tiles were a 1960's addition also, under them still lies further white terracotta blocks.

Otherwise that's a decent article bringing attention to the matter. Perhaps the two designs both the Langtree Artisan and alternative BORG & Nirmal Singh options could be displayed in the picture section of the article on skyscrapernews to give an idea what the plans are. Images are posted throughout this thread of them.

[*-City Of Bradford-*]

I'm personally now fully changed my mind of demolising the Odeon. It must not be demolished! We need to keeps Bradford old Buildings not build new ones. Then we just get a typical city centre all modern without any heritage and history left. The last thing I want to see is Bradford going Skyscraper mad like Leeds, and loosing all its great buildings. We want to be different and unique in a good way and stand out from the rest and keep our heritage and history. COME ON BRADFORD COUNCIL PLANNERS. REJECT IT!

[emma72]

Originally Posted by *-City Of Bradford-*

I'm personally now fully changed my mind of demolising the Odeon. It must not be demolished! We need to keeps Bradford old Buildings not build new ones. Then we just get a typical city centre all modern without any heritage and history left. We want to be different and unique in a good way and stand out from the rest and keep our heritage and history. COME ON BRADFORD COUNCIL PLANNERS. REJECT IT!

By Jove I think he's got it!
Welcome to our world

[aviator]

Originally Posted by *-City Of Bradford-*

...The last thing I want to see is Bradford going Skyscraper mad like Leeds, and loosing all its great buildings. We want to be different and unique in a good way and stand out from the rest and keep our heritage and history...

Don't be so bloody daft!

If you took the trouble to put your brain into gear before you let your testosterone loose on the keyboard, you would recall that Bradford has been as enthusiastic a wrecker of its great history as any other city in the UK.

Just as a matter of interest though, how many of Leeds' "great buildings" do you recall being sacrificed to skyscrapers in the last decade or so?

[*-City Of Bradford-*]

My latest Odeon Pics:

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr

[The Odeon Crusader]

Liking your latest Odeon pics - in fact I've borrowed a piece of one of them for this spoof poster... except it's 100% true!!!

[*-City Of Bradford-*]

Originally Posted by The Odeon Crusader

Liking your latest Odeon pics - in fact I've borrowed a piece of one of them for this spoof poster... except it's 100% true!!!

De Ja Vu, you've posted this in the Bradford City Regeneration Thread already.

[The Odeon Crusader]

Yeah, and I'll post it anywhere else I can!

[The Odeon Crusader]

Meanwhile, back at the ranch... did anyone else spot this in tonight's T&A?

Here we go again...



Note how it says "latest" rather than "final"? And why are BCR mentioned? One last gasp of glory before they are snubbed out for good?

[*-City Of Bradford-*]

Originally Posted by The Odeon Crusader

Meanwhile, back at the ranch... did anyone else spot this in tonight's T&A?

Here we go again...



Note how it says "latest" rather than "final"? And why are BCR mentioned? One last gasp of glory before they are snubbed out for good?

This is a very good post and good find.

I'm hoping that the developers have changed their mind and keep the former Odeon building instead of destroying it.

The cities first rooftop restaurant? With the view of one of the busiestiest roads in the city centre. Is it just me or does anyone have a feeling this won't be the nicest of restaurant experieces.

So they're going to knock down a very iconic building and replace it with a much less iconic one. That makes sense.

The Odeon Crusader, try and get many people to come to this event as possible, we've got to let them know that this is not what we went. Send this of to BORG and get them to stick it on their website.

Nice to see that they have invested some money in advertising this, it shows that the developers commitied. I bet! I think it was Yorkshire Foward and BCR who have paid for the advertising, the developers have invested very little so far. It's a Leeds based company so thats a nail in the Odeons coffin already.

BCR are mensioned because they're part of this.

[*-City Of Bradford-*]

Got not one, but two emails (both the same) on the Odeon Exhibition at the Great Victoria Hotel Bradford:

Good afternoon,

I'm writing to you in relation to New Victoria Place - the regeneration scheme proposed for the site of the former Odeon cinema in Bradford - as you attended the first public exhibition and requested to be kept updated as to forthcoming events.

I'm delighted to inform you that the revised project masterplan and vision for the site will be unveiled to the public between 1.30pm – 5pm on Friday 24th July and 11am – 4pm on Saturday 25th July in the Camargue Room at the Great Victoria Hotel in Bradford.

I do hope you are able to attend to discuss the scheme in more detail, however a website with the exhibition materials will be launched on Friday 24 July for those unable to visit the exhibition, www.newvictoriaplace.com

For further information please call Danielle Bishop on 0113 213 0303 or email newvictoriaplace@beattiegroup.com

Yours sincerely



Jan Anderson
Yorkshire Forward




Langtree Artisan
Martin Mellor


Kind regards,

Danielle


Senior Account Manager

Tel: 0113 213 0303

Mob: 07713 149 186

Beattie Communications | 46 The Calls | Leeds | LS2 7EY

www.beattiegroup.com

Don't understand why they put Good Afternoon when it was sent at 7:14PM, What a FAIL, sorry, I'll stop nitpicking.

[Mezzo]

I do hope you are able to attend to discuss the scheme in more detail, however a website with the exhibition materials will be launched on Friday 24 July for those unable to visit the exhibition, www.newvictoriaplace.com

If anyone decides to visit this website on Friday, just watch out for any little pop-ups thanking you for 'registering your support'.
It wouldn't be the first time they pulled this trick.

[Dan B]

Right now they've gone and really shot themselves in the foot (or at least I'd like to think so). What in the hell is this design:

New plans for Odeon site revealed at last

6:00am Wednesday 22nd July 2009

comment Comments (7) Have your say »

By Jo Winrow »


These are the heavily-revised plans for the £55 million New Victoria Place development on the site of Bradford’s derelict Odeon cinema.

The Telegraph & Argus can today show the first images of the new design which has now been backed by English Heritage.

Changes include reducing the size of the glass-fronted development on the corner of Prince’s Way and Thornton Road.

A new planning application will be submitted to Bradford Council on Monday.

Developer Langtree Artisan, which won a design competition in 2006, came under fire from English Heritage for its original plans, which were considered too dominant.

But following the changes, Trevor Mitchell, English Heritage’s planning and development regional director is satisfied that the benefits of the New Victoria Place plans now outweigh the loss of the Odeon’s iconic towers.

He said: “The revised proposal respects the setting of adjacent listed buildings and provides new buildings of an appropriate quality, in a sympathetic landscaped setting, safeguarding the overall character of the city centre conservation area.

“While the loss of the Odeon’s turrets and façade would be regretted, we are satisfied that the benefits of the proposal would outweigh the harm which it would cause. English Heritage would therefore support the revised scheme.”

The scheme still includes all the internal elements from the original designs which were submitted last year – including office space, apartments, a 100-bed hotel, bars, cafes and community leisure facilities. It would involve demolishing the former Odeon building, which has been derelict since 2000.

A public exhibition is being held on Friday from 1.30pm to 5pm and on Saturday between 11am and 4pm in the Camargue Room at the Great Victoria Hotel, in Bridge Street.

A website newvictoriaplace.com containing the new designs will also go live on Friday.

Langtree Artisan and building owners Yorkshire Forward have been working with English Heritage and Bradford Centre Regeneration and say they have taken on board comments made during consultation last year to evolve the scheme. They expect the landmark development to bring more than 1,350 jobs to Bradford.

Simon Peters, of Langtree Artisan, said: “The exhibition is a great opportunity for the people of Bradford to visualise how the New Victoria Place scheme has evolved following the feedback we have received.

“We have created a vibrant and ambitious scheme which will deliver much-needed jobs to the city.”

Jan Anderson, executive director of environment for Yorkshire Forward, said: “New Victoria Place is an appropriate and innovative scheme which has evolved from the initial design proposals.”

And Maud Marshall, the chief executive of BCR, said: “Of primary importance in selecting a final design was the need to develop a financially-viable landmark development for the city – we believe that the new designs for New Victoria Place by Langtree Artisan are exactly this.

“We are delighted that English Heritage is now supporting the planning application.”

Bradford Odeon Rescue Group, which opposes the demolition of the building, has put forward a rival plan – backed by Bradford businessman Nirmal Singh – to retain the building and transform it into a hotel, nightclub and cinema.

Group member and Bradford Councillor John Pennington said he was disappointed that BORG had not been shown the designs prior to the exhibition and described the previous plans as “grotesquely huge”. He said he would be scrutinising the new plans when they are made public on Friday.

http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.u...ealed_at_last/


This further confirms my opinion of English Heritage as a useless quango of idiotic spineless twats that enjoy chasing down skyscrapers most of the time whilst allowing precious old buildings like this to be demolished if all the demands on their stupid little criteria lists are met.

Once again the T&A quotes BORG's plan as saving the building as a cinema. Where the hell does this come from? The Telegraph and Argus is about the worst newspaper I've ever had the misfortune to come across and deserves to be confined to the gutter, a gutter press if you will. Perry Austin Clarke will be first against the wall when the revolution comes.

[Mezzo]

Originally Posted by Dan B

Right now they've gone and really shot themselves in the foot (or at least I'd like to think so). What in the hell is this design

Isn't it awful?

Originally Posted by Dan B

This further confirms my opinion of English Heritage as a useless quango of idiotic spineless twats that enjoy chasing down skyscrapers most of the time whilst allowing precious old buildings like this to be demolished if all the demands on their stupid little criteria lists are met.

Once again the T&A quotes BORG's plan as saving the building as a cinema. Where the hell does this come from? The Telegraph and Argus is about the worst newspaper I've ever had the misfortune to come across and deserves to be confined to the gutter, a gutter press if you will. Perry Austin Clarke will be first against the wall when the revolution comes.

Couldn't agree more about English Heritage - they seem to be masters at swiftly moving the goalposts.
And as for the T&A... well what did we expect.
I don't know why they bother pretending they're actually a NEWSpaper when it's actually little more than a council mouth-piece.
Shocking stuff.

The really sad thing about this new application is that if it means all the original objections are dismissed, BORG are gonna have to get everyone on the case again.
I guess objections to demolition of the Odeon building itself will still stand though?

[The Odeon Crusader]

I am genuinely lost for words... The biggest example of government corruption yet in the Odeon saga. Mitchell has totally gone against everything he said in English Heritage's objection, and is it right he has been allowed to assist Yorkshire Forward/Langtree Artisan with the revisions? In other words, English Heritage have driven the design to this latest (4th) incarnation.

English Heritage do not have a clue... tilted playing fields at every step of the way. They say the facade's terracotta blocks would have been crucial to listing the exterior in 1996, but because they had been removed (???) they couldn't consider it. BORG show them evidence of their survival 11 years later - they then say the blocks are not so important.

In response to last year's planning application Mitchell said the towers and facade must be retained - now the "benefits" of the scheme (which he underplayed somewhat in his objection letter last year as "modest") justify their loss?

Here is a link to Mitchell's letter from last last year - compare it to what he is quoted as saying in today's T&A and see clumsy self-contradiction at work for yourself!

http://www.planninginbradford.com/WA...df&pageCount=5

It stinks worse than Maud Marshall's breath!