As well as offering readers the chance to comment on our articles, we are also opening up the opportunity for residents to give their views on a broader range of topics affecting Lichfield. In our Your views section, we’ll feature some of the emails we regularly get sent by people from across the district discussing local issues.
To my mind, any politician worth their salt surely would hope to aspire to achieve the best they can in service to the people they are ‘bound’ to serve, as servant to all of their community, rich and poor alike.
For a cathedral city especially surely this should be their main objective in political life?
Therefore with regard to housing and planning I ask the question:
“Why always redevelop? Why always demolish? Why not retain some originality, be creative? Why not use imagination and focus upon refurbishment for a change? Why not focus minds upon this as the task in hand as part of the mission ahead? Why not change tack instead of maintaining the current status quo, a course of complete annihilation of existing structures?”
One track thinking means the end of that line will be reached sooner than one thinks and then what?
The captain of a ship, requires genuine stewardship and forward thinking. Providing the best course of action when steering at the wheel. One that befits one responsible for all those under it’s care is a better way to survive the course together.
Attending to the needs of some on the basis of their financial position whilst ignoring others is not bliss. It never has been. It never will be.
It doesn’t ‘bode’ well for the Earth or the planet as can be seen. Remember the Titanic.
Surely it behoves a cathedral city, one as caring and as responsible and courageous as Lichfield has been, to exhibit as much determination as possible focusing upon becoming a real ‘living breathing organism’?
Alive, energetic, full of hope for the future. A city that cares for all whatever their status is an honourable city. Even more honourable when it shows itself to care for the most vulnerable among us.
“This higher aspiration is not beyond us”
I move that developers should have as part of their building contract the clause to provide hostel accommodation for such people in our midst. Those without anywhere to lay their head. Those who have a complexity of problems difficult to deal with alone and unsupported, namely the homeless, some of whom may have returned suffering from war zones.
This higher aspiration is not beyond us. Not beyond us at all. Let us bring the two together make it whole.
To get to the point. Why demolish all older properties? Surely character and diversity count for something and necessity is the mother of invention is it not?
Indeed why believe that to demolish a structure and rebuild is the only solution? Imagination is a great gift bestowed upon us from on high. Let us use it wisely.
Take for instance the old Bluebell pub property in Rotten Row which I understand was used to home the homeless. Why then have these unfortunate people been thrown back upon the streets when they were previously provided for in this old building?
If restored and renovated to environmental standards, it could provide a safe haven for them again while retaining something pertaining to the city’s past heritage.
“A dream that works”
It has been proven over and over again that if you give someone a chance and they also will have the opportunity to aspire as you once did to a wonderful dream. A dream that works.
Isn’t this what life is really about?
The homeless are sentient, human beings, not aliens from another planet.
It is said “There but for the Grace of God go I”. Yes, any one of us at any given moment in life, could find ourselves falling down a rabbit hole, falling upon hard times.
Helping someone onto the very bottom rung of the ladder is surely the best way to help a homeless person achieve a dream too by providing the necessary facilities not leaving them to chance?
So-called ‘Luxury Living’ is all very well, but surely a city as gracious as Lichfield has the ability to achieve even higher aspirations. To score a fabulous goal which means the most beautiful cathedral city becomes a world leader. Top of the league. The Humane League.
Onward and upward is the call. Go for it, Lichfield. Score that goal.
