The ARC, thumbs up or down?

I think that my views may have been misinterpreted by some, I am all in favour of continued development, and keeping Bury St Edmunds thriving as a market town. I just feel that the Arc is not the right development for this town, it is not in keeping with the heritage or the aesthetics of our great town.

I think it is great the people don’t have to go shopping elsewhere and I think it is great that local money will be spent locally, paying for more jobs; and higher paid jobs.

I also think it is good that the town has a FEW empty shopping units, simple free market economics will eventually drive down rent for all shops elsewhere as a result.

So all in all I think the idea, the concept of new development is great. What I don’t think is great is the structure, design or the timing. Even the world’s smartest individuals never predicted the current recession. So I can’t blame anyone for that.

The building however is an eyesore and out of place for a small market town. Many of the people that live in Bury, love the tranquil life that it offers. If they had wanted to live in a big city, with a massive commercial shopping centre they would have moved to Ipswich, Cambridge or Norwich.

So for me; it’s a thumbs down, but only because the development doesn’t fit in with the local heritage.