Government cash also could be set for Southend Pier, A127 and airport training base (From Southend Standard)

I do hope they come to some decision on the new museum, before too long.
It will be nice to get the "Saxon Prince" artefacts back where they belong.

…which is not perched on top of slipping cliffs on the seafront.

People going for a day out at the seaside are highly unlikely to want to go round an art gallery and museum and people wanting to go to an art gallery and museum would prefer it in a more appropriate location.

The argument works both ways - will people going out for a day out at the museum or art gallery want to go to the seaside? The more different attractions in this area - the more people who will come to the town and spend their money in the local economy - the more jobs that will be created. And where would a more appropriate location be exactly? Does Southend have a great surplus of spare land a new museum could be built on?

Karen, i could hardly think of a more inappropriate place than a landslide! this is treasure of National significance and should be housed in a safe place. The most appropriate would be the Priory in the Park next to the place it was found, or the nearby museum.

First this council tried to build a road over the burial now they want to house the treasure on a landslide, I would sooner it stayed locked away in London than be put at risk like this.

But the roads to Priory park are a bit congested, if only the council could improve them somehow?

hey brilliant idea denis lets put it in the park!!! then when we have so many people to see it and we need to turn the grass into parking you can pitch a tent and campain we are loosing green space and SAVE THE GRASS!
The seafront could do with more all year round attractions and think of all the people who wouldnt normally go to a local park and look,but could if they came for a day out. who would spend a whole day just looking at the saxon kings treasure?
As for keeping them next to the burial ground what diffrence does that make?

Cllr Lamb just doesn't know when he is defeated, the Seafront Museum is, a bad plan, to build a bad building, in a bad location and for all the wrong reasons.

Flood and cliff slip issues aside, the location is the big issue. In the summer of 2009 SKIPP visited Sutton Hoo, during our meeting with the National Trust Management there, they (the experts) made it clear to us, break the connection between grave goods and burial chamber and we will lose half the visitors!

So it is quite simple, the SKIPP Proposal for a Saxon Great Hall and Village on the site of the Council Depot in Priory Park is the only viable option for the future of the Kings Treasures.

Mark
The SKIPP Committee

Southend Mechanic , go visit Sutton Hoo if you think there is no difference and if you think such a National Treasure is not worth a day out in its own right. Sutton Hoo was for many years one of the biggest attractions in the Country.

Southend Council has appointed consultants to draw up the plan for the new building.

Well that is sorted then - after the consultants draw their pretty pictures, won't be any money left!!

yes but we have an issue dont we if it turned out to be the biggest attraction in the country building at the parks depot in priory cresent would bring huge issues.
What about the public access from either victoria avenue or priory crescent one is a long wayaway and would require a road across part of the park itself and the other has totally unsuitable access due to a restricted plan to widen it.
another problem is where do you park the many visitors cars? coaches? unless you could put the treasures in the priory and make no changes to the park this idea goes against the wishes of the Jones family as it was left for open space and any development of it would be insulting to his bequest.
With the SKIPP protest upset that 2 trees at priory cresent within the boundry might be affected i cannot see how they can support this plan when its implication would cause much more change than a modified road which doesnt take any park land away. i feel southend council have released this news at this time to show the two protests as there are,which is contradictions on what is wanted for priory park and the residents of priory crescent.

how true!! we should have an art gallery show all the plans southend has had drawn up and paid for over time (at least since the 70's) which have never come to fruitation many with no objections but just for the fact it was dream land.

The best place, in my opinion, is the old Ekco site. On a 'bus route, near the coming airport rail station and, therefore the airport if we want realistic international visitors. Above or below the unstable cliffs is just plain daft.

Here we go again with the usual global hot air emissions from those in High Places. For just once, will this ever happen in Southend that is notorious for plans, schemes, consultations that result in ziltch? Gosh this a reality really would be bucking the trend! Knock me down with a feather!
In Weston Super Mare a pier has a fire and it's rebuilt in a short time scale. In Southend there's a pier fire some 35 years ago and the debate goes on.
This is certainly no cheapo build considering the nightmare of building on such a nightmare location, let alone access and undercliff car parking.
I'm underwhemed with excitement and not holding by breath as the track record in Southend isn't winning form in the eyes of a sure thing bet?
Could my negative viewpoint be totally wrong???.....Could be?.....Just a hint off the mark?......Nahhhhhhh
!

What is wrong with the existing museum in victoria ave,or have I missed something?Thousands of visitors,flocking to southend to see the "treasures".In your dreams.

Denis Walker wrote:
…which is not perched on top of slipping cliffs on the seafront.

People going for a day out at the seaside are highly unlikely to want to go round an art gallery and museum and people wanting to go to an art gallery and museum would prefer it in a more appropriate location.

You are never happy!
I thought you and your small group of mates wanted a display of the Saxon finds?
I suppose you think the site of Camp Bling is more appropriate? But that would mean trees being felled!
Have you been anywhere outside the borough? St Ives in Cornwall has the Tate modern gallery. Its perched right opposite the main beech.
Its an added attraction to the area, and people go there for the gallery, just as people go there to go to the beech.
Are you going to start an illegal camp on top of the cliffs now?

I reiterate, the place for this proposed museum complex is on the old Ekco site, on a 'bus route, near to the new rail station and airport. Plenty of space for car parking and on stable ground. Pasted into the crumbling cliffs it would be another dead loss.

southendmechanic wrote:
yes but we have an issue dont we if it turned out to be the biggest attraction in the country building at the parks depot in priory cresent would bring huge issues.
What about the public access from either victoria avenue or priory crescent one is a long wayaway and would require a road across part of the park itself and the other has totally unsuitable access due to a restricted plan to widen it.
another problem is where do you park the many visitors cars? coaches? unless you could put the treasures in the priory and make no changes to the park this idea goes against the wishes of the Jones family as it was left for open space and any development of it would be insulting to his bequest.
With the SKIPP protest upset that 2 trees at priory cresent within the boundry might be affected i cannot see how they can support this plan when its implication would cause much more change than a modified road which doesnt take any park land away. i feel southend council have released this news at this time to show the two protests as there are,which is contradictions on what is wanted for priory park and the residents of priory crescent.

I think you overestimate how popular a small local museum will be.

I go up to London's museums regularly, they are enormous and hold an enormous amount of interesting artefacts and exhibitions. Even they are not overrun with the amount of visitors you seem to think the Saxon King exhibition will get.


If it had been equal to the Sutton Hoo discovery then perhaps, but it isn't.

People come to Southend for day trips to the seaside. To visit Adventure Island and the arcades, have some fish and chips and maybe a beer before going home.

The problem with the existing museum, is that it's not a purpose made building for it's given use, and it's far too small.
It needs to be somewhere where people can park easily, and for free.
I often go up to the BM, and it's always busy there, of course being free helps, and being a tourist hot-spot.

I'm not keen on it being on the seafront, even if it does include it's own car park.
It's a shame more people don't visit Southend museum, it is small, but there are some good displays, and the planatarium is worth a visit. Something which is used by schools a lot.

The new museum wont just be somewhere to go and look at the Saxon Prince (not Saxon King) artefacts. It will be an educational resource, with lecture facilities.

and the cost to buy the land is over £2 million some how I do not think the council have the funds do you...

As for Skipps park proposal where are you planning to put the cars peoplke will drive to the museum?

The museum in the cliffs has been designed to fix the slippage problem. When was the last flood of any note on that section of fea front thats what the sea wall is for.

Lets face facts - the majority of people that visit Southend are not here to visit museums, art galleries and the like - they're here to get red faced in their deck-chairs, have a few beers and eat fish and chips before returning home. Yes there probably is a very small minority that is interested in the exhibits that the town provides but Southend will never be a centre of cultural excellence.

Oh blimey. Lets not bother then, since no-one is happy!
Once in a while it might be nice to read posts that are a bit more ... cheery or positive.
Just a thought.

Virtuallintu wrote:
Oh blimey. Lets not bother then, since no-one is happy! Once in a while it might be nice to read posts that are a bit more ... cheery or positive. Just a thought.

I know what u mean, whatever the council proposes to improve the town everybody just moans and is negative... we didnt have a marina because all the moaners said it would make a mess building it.. !!!
just look at Brighton... people go ther for holidays, come to southend for what ?

Virtuallintu wrote:
Oh blimey. Lets not bother then, since no-one is happy! Once in a while it might be nice to read posts that are a bit more ... cheery or positive. Just a thought.

I know what u mean, whatever the council proposes to improve the town everybody just moans and is negative... we didnt have a marina because all the moaners said it would make a mess building it.. !!!
just look at Brighton... people go ther for holidays, come to southend for what ?

anon anon wrote:

Virtuallintu wrote: Oh blimey. Lets not bother then, since no-one is happy! Once in a while it might be nice to read posts that are a bit more ... cheery or positive. Just a thought.

I know what u mean, whatever the council proposes to improve the town everybody just moans and is negative... we didnt have a marina because all the moaners said it would make a mess building it.. !!! just look at Brighton... people go ther for holidays, come to southend for what ?

Exactly. Sadly, no matter what is proposed there will always be Denis Walkers in this town who will stick their oar in and complain just for the sake of it (just look how many single issue protest groups he's in). It's perfectly possible to have a museum on the cliffs (why he thinks he has divine knowledge as to where museums should go is beyond me), and if you put it there it means it'll be accessible to coaches who can go to Seaway car park (yes it's a short walk but that'll do people good). Priory Park would be a daft place to put it considering the current road access issues (which the NIMBYs are against improving in any way). Any building built on the cliffs would be subject to a thorough environmental impact analysis and nothing would be permitted without a full ground survey to determine how the cliff slippage will react, so their fears are baseless. Buildings anchor the cliffs, whic his why they haven't slipped on Pier Hill (they're covered in concrete).

anon anon wrote:

Virtuallintu wrote: Oh blimey. Lets not bother then, since no-one is happy! Once in a while it might be nice to read posts that are a bit more ... cheery or positive. Just a thought.

I know what u mean, whatever the council proposes to improve the town everybody just moans and is negative... we didnt have a marina because all the moaners said it would make a mess building it.. !!! just look at Brighton... people go ther for holidays, come to southend for what ?

I don't think that the negativity is a result of proposed progress but as a result of Southend Councils inability to actually do anything - they talk a good talk and come up with lots of pretty pictures after spending thousands on consultants fees but the pier still isn't repaired after the fire, the cliffs slippage is still there etc etc. Rather than moans consider it as extreme cynicism whenever SBC doing anything is mentioned.

The problem is money, the cliffs £30million to fix, the pier £5million+ the council needs to use consultants as its cheaper than keeping a small group employed dircetly and paying tham a regular wage for just a few weeks work each year.

Max Impact wrote:
The problem is money, the cliffs £30million to fix, the pier £5million+ the council needs to use consultants as its cheaper than keeping a small group employed dircetly and paying tham a regular wage for just a few weeks work each year.

Very true. People who moan about the use of consultants are those who don't really understand how the economy, or local government, works.

DannyK86 wrote:

anon anon wrote:

Virtuallintu wrote: Oh blimey. Lets not bother then, since no-one is happy! Once in a while it might be nice to read posts that are a bit more ... cheery or positive. Just a thought.

I know what u mean, whatever the council proposes to improve the town everybody just moans and is negative... we didnt have a marina because all the moaners said it would make a mess building it.. !!! just look at Brighton... people go ther for holidays, come to southend for what ?

Exactly. Sadly, no matter what is proposed there will always be Denis Walkers in this town who will stick their oar in and complain just for the sake of it (just look how many single issue protest groups he's in). It's perfectly possible to have a museum on the cliffs (why he thinks he has divine knowledge as to where museums should go is beyond me), and if you put it there it means it'll be accessible to coaches who can go to Seaway car park (yes it's a short walk but that'll do people good). Priory Park would be a daft place to put it considering the current road access issues (which the NIMBYs are against improving in any way). Any building built on the cliffs would be subject to a thorough environmental impact analysis and nothing would be permitted without a full ground survey to determine how the cliff slippage will react, so their fears are baseless. Buildings anchor the cliffs, whic his why they haven't slipped on Pier Hill (they're covered in concrete).

We all know Denis is an expert on every sort of development.
He is currently fighting southend council and Stobarts on the extension of the runway.
He is against the saxon king treasures being newhere but the park. Here is the funny bit he is against the road changes at cuckoo corner and priory crescent (with SKIPP) and the big part of the argument is that they say it will destroy the park as it is and its open green space.
one of his arguments of the airport is that the road network wont support the extra traffic and when someone comes up with new road layouts he says they are not needed. Stobarts should get the results of if a public enquiry is required and from the way they are moving industrial equipment it looks like work can start straight away and possibly they are doing this due to all the protesters against them being down the camp bling site.

"Stobarts should get the results of if a public enquiry is required and from the way they are moving industrial equipment it looks like work can start straight away and possibly they are doing this due to all the protesters against them being down the camp bling site."

That equipment is just for the station and new control tower under construction. But I agree with you on the rest of your post.

It is sad that everytime there is talk of development in this town, its the same people for (that would be me amongst that group), the same people against (Denis the menace and friends) and the same people on the fence.

I hope the Airport goe's ahead, I hope the road 'improvements' go ahead (and work). And I hope that the seafront improvements are a success along with the projects mentioned above.
I hope then, that the town will begin to attract more business, more visitors (day trippers and longer).
There is alot of heritage in Southend, but that can live well alongside modern development. Heritage is important (Conservation areas help protect this), but not if that nostalgia kills the town.

Yes people are against some proposals,but you have to weigh up all the facts.How many visitors to the town come just to visit Priory park museum,or Southchurch hall,both excellent places,and free parking.If it is 10 I would be surprised.

anon anon wrote:

Virtuallintu wrote: Oh blimey. Lets not bother then, since no-one is happy! Once in a while it might be nice to read posts that are a bit more ... cheery or positive. Just a thought.

I know what u mean, whatever the council proposes to improve the town everybody just moans and is negative... we didnt have a marina because all the moaners said it would make a mess building it.. !!! just look at Brighton... people go ther for holidays, come to southend for what ?

A MARINA!!! NOW YOUR TALKING. FAR TOO SENSIBLE.

I second that. Lets get the Mariner!

firedog wrote:
Yes people are against some proposals,but you have to weigh up all the facts.How many visitors to the town come just to visit Priory park museum,or Southchurch hall,both excellent places,and free parking.If it is 10 I would be surprised.

agreed but this requires change and we have a minority who dont like proposed changes of any kind

southendmechanic wrote:

firedog wrote: Yes people are against some proposals,but you have to weigh up all the facts.How many visitors to the town come just to visit Priory park museum,or Southchurch hall,both excellent places,and free parking.If it is 10 I would be surprised.

agreed but this requires change and we have a minority who dont like proposed changes of any kind

I'm for change but why do we get the dregs of planning thinking here in this part of the UK. Have a look around Southend and see what has happened in the last 40 years. It's not pretty, mind you that could be said for a number of towns.
Here it's cheap option, so bung it up, it'll do. The bus station in Southend is a good example of a disaster. Ever tried working out how to catch a bus from this crazy concourse to a specific location? I'm still havent cracked it yet.
Change? yes please! But lets get it right for us the public so we can stand tall and proud of our progressing environment.

I looked at SKiPP page, what a load of rubbish, build a museum in Priory park to attract 300k visitors a year- where will they park- on the grass? thought they wanted to protect the park. Don't they know its an ancient monument so even the ground is protected? Bit difficult to build there then. Also they say they will get lottery funding- some chance the lottery does not give out cash easily and not to build on land that's an ancient monument and owned by a third party. Get real. Putting the museum into the cliffs will result in the cliff slip being sorted so the museum will be safe, I think it includes parking there too, so helps the seafront too, gives visitors something extra to visit and might attract some that actually appreciate more than the seaside. Appears to me Southend is trying- improved roads, new squares, new 'Golden Mile' , new dive pool, works to Pier and plans to deal with it and a new museum and new joint library with College. Just stop the moaning and get behind the the town.

soufend girl! wrote:
I looked at SKiPP page, what a load of rubbish, build a museum in Priory park to attract 300k visitors a year- where will they park- on the grass? thought they wanted to protect the park. Don't they know its an ancient monument so even the ground is protected? Bit difficult to build there then. Also they say they will get lottery funding- some chance the lottery does not give out cash easily and not to build on land that's an ancient monument and owned by a third party. Get real. Putting the museum into the cliffs will result in the cliff slip being sorted so the museum will be safe, I think it includes parking there too, so helps the seafront too, gives visitors something extra to visit and might attract some that actually appreciate more than the seaside. Appears to me Southend is trying- improved roads, new squares, new 'Golden Mile' , new dive pool, works to Pier and plans to deal with it and a new museum and new joint library with College. Just stop the moaning and get behind the the town.

You go Girl.

What Skipp forget they do not own the finds, they do not own the land they are not a registered charity so there is ZERO chance of lottery funding for them.

Which is good as they would probably blow the lot on more tents to protest thier own proposals to build in the park!

You ask about the parking... I have asked the same question a million times and always get the smae reply "Its adequate" and "there is a regular bus service on Priory Cresent"

They are just a bunch of wasters who want Southend made in to thier own utopia of no chance no improvements most are retired so dont care about the young getting jobs as long as thier pensions are paid on time and racked up year on year, cold weather payments are paid to thier spanish holiday villas they remain happy litte turds.

If these serial protestors feel so strongly that everything the council doe's is so wrong STAND FOR COUNCIL.
If you are so convinced you speak for the majority and feel you can do better, then prove it.
Otherwise stop wasting everyones time and tax payers money protesting about anything that is progression in this town.

The blinkered view that cars are the only way to get anywhere is astonishing. I was unaware there were so many fat, lardy, sweaty, unhealthy slobs in Southend. Sadly there are, and most of them seem to spend all their time on the Echo website bawling their eyes out for more roads, so they can drive their fat unhealthy McKids the 150 yards to and from school.

Its a blinkared view that everybody lives so close to work that they can cycle or use the less than suitable bus network.
As someone who spends equal amounts of time posting on the Echo site bawling your eyes out over a few old trees, I would imagine you must be rather large and sweaty too.