A fierce attack has been waged against Colchester Council's decision to pay consultants £120,000 as part of plans for a town centre face-lift.

Space Syntax was chosen to survey the way people move about Colchester town centre and to look at ways of making better links between the eastern and western parts of the town. Colchester Council chose Space Syntax because it had the best presentation - despite costing twice as much as some of the other bids.

But the council's Labour leader Tim Young has branded the fee as an "absurd waste of money".

But those behind the multi-million pound St Botolph's redevelopment scheme, which includes Vineyard Street, Queen Street and St Botolph's station, claim it is money well spent.

Ian Vipond, head of environmental policy, said the cash paid was a small sum compared with the scale of the project.

Published Monday, August 4, 2003

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