by cornfield » Mon Dec 10, 2007 9:53 pm
Love the site especially all the photos.
Originally from Hamilton now residing in Irvine (sure there is something about fires and frying pans). A project on the new towns built to house the overspill, Irvine, EK, Cumbernauld, Erskine would be great. It continually amazes me how the planners took a fantastic seaside town with industry, historical wealth and beauty, a wonderful harbour, scenery, etc etc etc (IRVINE), threw a truck load of money at it and managed to make the place worse in the process. I am sure the same can be said for the others.
As I cycle round the town, the cycle routes being one of the few things about the place that they got right, the contrast of historic buildings (1800's) to 'new' concrete tower monster-homes is apalling. They pulled down a historic bridge and replaced it with a shopping center OVER the water. (Are we the only country in the world to hide our rivers away? I know Glasgow is trying to rectify this but surely in 10 years we all will say what an oppertunity missed too)
For anyone who thinks the destruction of Glasgow's historic buildings and their replacement with concrete / glass is a crime, come look at the mess they made of the new towns and can someone explain where it went wrong?
I guess my point is this. Irvine is a great place to live, no really it is. Its well laid out, good amenities, scenic, good infrastructure BUT it could have been (in my opinion) so so much better. It seems like the planners went, 'lets pull that down' then 'emm' then 'oh dear' then 'oh well bring in the concrete'