The Winckley Debate

Since the Council announced proposals in February to radically transform Preston’s Winckley Square, one of the recurring criticisms from opponents of the scheme is that the history of the landmark will be destroyed.

Are these people drastically over-traditionalistic or do they have a point? To find out exactly where the history of Winckley Square begins, we need to travel back over 200 years.

In 1801, under the reign of King George III, the construction of the Square began in an affluent area of Preston, named after wealthy land owner Thomas Winckley. This would soon become renowned as “the finest example of a privately planned Georgian development with open space in the North of England.”

The fact that the Square has been around for two centuries would be enough for some to object the plans for redevelopment. Very often, we take age as the overriding factor when it comes to the “history” of particular sites.

Some would quickly point out that Preston has many much older sites than Winckley, though. So is age really a factor here?

Perhaps the objections have more of a green basis instead. It is particularly fashionable to campaign for the environment in today’s political climate.

The announcement that many green areas of the Square will be covered in granite and tarmac walkways would certainly leave a bitter taste in many a Greenpeace campaigner’s mouth.

So is it history or the environment that is really the cause of many people’s objections at the proposals?

Surely the answer has to be both. There have always been a substantial traditionalist element in Britain. It is part of our culture, this reluctance to change or modernise. We would all be rich if we had a pound for every time someone mentioned the “good old days.”

Similarly, we have a section of society that would recoil in horror at any report of the felling of a tree or even a flowerbed.

So, to refer back to the question of what the root cause of people’s objections to the plans, the answer is actually our own culture. After all, we wouldn’t be British if we didn’t have something to have a good moan about.

Winckley Revamp Met by Mixed Reaction

The proposed multi-million pound redevelopment of Winckley Square in Preston has attracted a mixed reaction from UCLan students.

The £3m project would see the 200-year-old landmark transformed by the introduction of granite footpaths, metal artwork and a central fountain which doubles up as a stage when dry.

The audacious plans would also see the square flattened out and new trees and flowerbeds planted to replace old ones.

The plans have prompted criticism from many leading fugures. Leading conservationist Mike Turner described the idea to hang metal letters on trees as "daft" and "self-indulgent."

Darryl Stott, 21, of Marsh Lane, Preston, echoed Mr Turner's views. He said:

"I don't think anyone can doubt that the square needs a lot of work to spruce it up, but the proposals just seem a bit arty-farty to me.

"Why do they want to hang letters from trees? It won't have any benefit for the overall state of the Square. It's just ostentatious in my opinion."

Another concern is that many of the green areas and several trees will have to be cleared to make way for the granite walkways and central fountain. There are already plans to fell 13 trees whose roots have been damaged by decay.

Mike Haigh, 20, of Leighton Street , Preston, said:

"I can't see how reducing the green aspect will have any benefits. I love sitting in Winckley and watching the squirrels on a sunny day.

"If the proposals go ahead, I don't see how any of the wildlife could survive. The only thing I can think of is that they replace all the green areas they want to take away with new trees and flowerbeds."

Despite the criticisms, there are many people who believe the revamp will bring Winckley Square into the 21st Century.

David Priest, 21, of Eversleigh Street, Preston, said:

"I saw the artists' impressions in the paper and I thought they looked amazing.

"I hear some people say that the plans might destroy the history of the area, but it's clear that it needs a big face lift to survive.

"Some of the trees are full of decay and many areas are overgrown and untidy. The new Square will help regenerate the whole area."

Winckley Square Slideshow

This slideshow looks at the current state of Winckley Square, Preston, and how the proposals for its redevelopment will change it. It is a multimedia accompaniment to the two articles above, that I wrote as part of my Digital Newsroom module. All the photos are my own, which I took on April 17th 2008.