Last month I reported that it was our intention to present the draft plans and artist’s impressions of the proposed Community Hub to the residents of Magor and Undy. Following a meeting with the architects last night, I can confirm that the presentations will take place.
The sessions will give a brief history of the aims for the Three Fields Site, the latest developments and what happens next. There will be display materials showing the ideas for the external and internal ‘look and feel’ of the buildings together with the proposed floor plans. Officers from Monmouthshire County Council, Pentan Architects and the MUCH group will be in attendance to answer questions. Members of Magor Action Group on Rail (MAGOR) will also be there to explain how the proposed station could complement the plans and be an integral part of ‘The Hub’.
We will provide various means for you to provide feedback and suggestions during and after the events and also an opportunity for you to offer help with further developing the plans and running the complex when built.
Please come along and have your say at any of the following –
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Tuesday February 6th – Magor (St Mary’s) Church Hall between 6:15pm and 8:15pm
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Thursday February 8th – Undy Football Club between 11am and 1pm
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Saturday February 10th – Magor Baptist Chapel between 11am and 1pm
As a resident of Undy for over 30 years and a practising Architect for nearly 40 years, I was most interested to see the update on the MUCH scheme. I attended the early meetings of MUSLA and was most keen to become involved in this important local project. This is a prominent site, central to the villages and offers a unique opportunity to build something of worth and quality. Unfortunately, this is not what I see in the “design” shown at present. I agree with the idea of copying something that has been successful elsewhere, but this certainly isn’t it. Frankly, the current design really does look like a couple of cheap cow sheds, and it should and could be something of quality in this location. The scale and massing of these sheds is akin to a rural farming landscape, not the character of Magor and Undy. If there is an appetite to look at this again, and produce something of quality and value, then I am prepared to offer my services,together with a couple of local Architects in an attempt to get this project back on track. There is no commercial reason at all to be using a large Practice in Cardiff to design this local community project. I am confident Pentan Architects are very capable, but there are at least half a dozen local Architects who would be better placed and offer much better value to ensure this scheme delivers what it promises.Good design does not cost more. This is not good design, but merely delivers the largest possible volume for the lowest possible cost.
Hi Gerald,
Many thanks for taking the time to comment and your offer of assistance.
Firstly, I would say the designs are not yet cast in stone (or wood) so it is great to have some early feedback and the presentations will hopefully give us more. I feel the proposals for the internals, which you will see when you attend one of the presentations, are looking really good and I am sure you will be impressed with what is being put forward. The externals, and we are working within a constrained budget, may need further refinement but the sketches, not being in colour, possibly don’t do justice to what the architects have in mind. I definitely agree though that the internals and the budget must not constrain the aesthetics of the external appearance and the building must be in keeping with the character of the villages.
The selection of the architects was carried out by MCC (with some input from the MUCH group) in the summer of last year and followed Local Government procurement procedures. You are correct, the architects selected appear to me to be very competent and I am sure will do a great job for us. If, as a resident, you would still like to offer the group assistance, you would be most welcome. Perhaps you could introduce yourself to one of the team at one of the presentations.
Paul