As reported in tonight's "Evening Telegraph", I am very pleased indeed at the positive response from PricewaterhouseCoopers, administrators of the developers who owned the former Homebase site - and the Royal Bank of Scotland, principal lenders, who have now agreed to my request to remove a temporary pathway around the site in Riverside Drive and restore the more open and safe original pathway around it.I had raised the matter with PricewaterhouseCoopers following many residents' concerns about the safety on the temporary pathway that is claustrophobic and where a local resident was assaulted and robbed.
Bruce Cartwright, the joint administrator from PricewaterhouseCoopers wrote to me today in the following terms :
"We spoke again last Friday but I thought it also appropriate to confirm in writing the outcome of our discussions with regard to the site at Riverside Drive owned by Duncarse, a company over which I have been appointed Administrator.
"As you know, the path alongside the site was moved to accommodate the proposed building works prior to our involvement. We have encountered difficulties due to vandalism and while we have taken steps in the past to repair the lighting I was also distressed to hear that one of your constituents had been the subject of a robbery on the path due to its enclosed nature.
"I indicated to you previously that as the building work was no longer imminent I was in agreement that it would be in the interests of the local community to restore the path to its original position by moving the hoarding.
"I am pleased to confirm that after discussion with the Royal Bank of Scotland who were the primary lender to the company, the Bank has agreed to provide me with funds to allow the necessary work to be carried out. We are treating this as a matter of urgency and we will be instructing contractors this week.
"On a less positive note you may not be aware but we discovered late on Friday that the site had been subjected to considerable vandalism last Thursday/Friday and as a result we took immediate steps to disconnect the electricity due as a matter of public safety. This confirms our shared view that the restoration of the path makes sense both in terms of open access and avoidance of further damage to electric cables."
This move by PricewaterhouseCoopers and the Royal Bank of Scotland is very positive and I am pleased that the companies have responded in a positive manner to the public concerns.
I think that local people will be pleased to see the original pathway restored and this will remove the many safety concerns that have been raised about the temporary pathway.
PricewaterhouseCoopers has also said it will assist with any initiative to have graffiti cleaned up once the hoardings are moved and I am hopeful that a community initiative to tackle the extensive graffiti mess may be possible.