THE calibre of thought behind the Students Village proposal seems suitably shown by the calibre of the artwork.

To avoid confusion: all good architects are artistic. What this town needs is Vision not developer led myopia.

The Portal within The Crescent (Grade II) is the only such structure within the town. It provides an important revealing access to the West. The Shankland Plan correctly saw this as the chance to have this portal open out onto green space and parkland. Emphatically, it should not be barricaded off by monolithic nondescript blocks.

Is Bolton MBC’s approach here to public engagement to: think it up behind closed doors, expose the 'idea', ride the storm and then carry on regardless? The Civic Trust does hope that BMBC has given no assurances to the University about developing on Cheadle Square.

Shortly, the Civic Trust will be trying to engage the Council by putting out a Vision Statement on Blue-Green Infrastructure in the Town Centre, in line with one of our objectives raised at last year's AGM. Bolton Town Centre covers about 75 hectares. Of this, public green space is only one quarter of one percent! And of that, almost all is next to Cheadle Square.

Richard Shirres

Chairman

Bolton & District Civic Trust