Fears that a new public square in Chelmsford will be devoid of sunlight were voiced at a Chelmsford borough planning committee meeting.

Councillors approved the outline plan to replace the Victoria Road campus of Anglia University with a new high-rise Richard Rogers Partnership designed housing, leisure, arts and commercial project described as "wonderful" by Cllr Christine Rycroft.

And chairman Cllr Keith Francis said: "This will regenerate and enhance - and the public square will be a vibrant area and tremendously prestigious for Chelmsford."

Work on the project could start as soon as July 2004.

But Cllr Bill Horslen said he had three major worries.

He said seven-storey buildings running roughly east-west in the path of the sun could make the public square and performance area "dark and shaded and its summer value reduced."

The existing triangle of public space facing due south, on the edge of Parkway, encourages people to sunbathe and picnic in full sun. This triangle will be built on and the public area moved into the heart of the new-build under the outline plan.

"We must make sure the new area is clear and open to the sunshine to encourage people to use it," said Cllr Horslen.

The councillor was also concerned that Victoria Road South was still to remain a traffic area when the new project was built.

A new home will have to be found for Chelmsford Model Railway Club whose leased premises will be demolished for the project.

Developer Countryside's managing director Rick de Blaby said he and Lord Rodgers had given a full presentation of the project so far in a two hour session to planning and other councillors a month ago and were able to "answer every single issue."

He added that all Cllr Horslen's points were "well made and would be addressed."

Published Monday, April 28, 2003