I READ with interest in your excellent paper that money is to be allocated to commence work on Lydney docks.
This is excellent news. It is not clear yet as to exactly what work is to be carried out or indeed the plans for the complete project, or least I've not seen much.
I believe that there is an excellent opportunity here for the powers-that-be to really excel.
It appears to me that they have two options:
1: To produce some modern monolith that mirrors the two towers on the other side of the river that will do nothing to reflect the history of the site and will quickly date. This option will no doubt be favoured by the architects keen to show the world how excellent they are at their craft, or...
2: To restore the area in a manner sympathetic to the history of the site, namely with Victorian designed buildings and generally making it an area of historical interest. Recognition could be paid to the industrial history of the docks with full size dioramas of some of the railway and dockside activity that previously graced the area. I am sure that this would be popular with tourists and locals alike. And all who will have been involved with it will be proud that they have created something worthwhile instead of another concrete and glass carbuncle.
Personally I would only support the latter option. The former would not only ruin the area once and for ever but will lose the area the opportunity to honour the great achievements of our forebears. – David Holmes, Church Road, Lydney.