Urban Upgrade

Thanks for the comments on my ramble yesterday.

I hope I didn't give the impression I was frustrated or fed up with the Mighty Blip. On the contrary I find it fascinating and a great way of expressing yourself, even if it is expression at all ends of the spectrum!

Bugs Bunny was possibly my worst title ever though. Seemed good at the time...

On my way to the office, the morning light was gorgeous as it can be this time of year (whatever you think of the colder months, anyone who spends anytime outdoors (especially up mountains - or large hills) will tell you that for views and vistas, they beat Summer every time.)

I took my usual shortcut through the Cathedral which takes you higher up in a short time, and I stopped to take a blip of Bradford in the morning light.

Ten years ago this view was a wall of concrete containing Fast Food and Department Stores plus a Discount Furniture Store (I think). And a very busy roundabout.

Between 2004 and 2006 it all came down to make way for a new shopping development but the economic crisis hit and it has remained more or less like this ever since. There's an urban park behind the wall now.

Today the council agreed revised scaled down plans for the shopping development, work expected to start next year.

When you look at this view, if you take away the horrible concrete pile of shoeboxes on the left, and ignore the hole in the ground, to me you have a beautiful city with stunningly good architecture that you can actually see. Not hidden behind grey lego.

From what I've seen the new development is only going to be 2 stories high, so it shouldn't infringe on the landscape. There's also a new city park that's due to open in November (a bit further back in this picture).

Bradford is only a few miles from the extremely successful city of Leeds, and I think that once it understands that it's never going to win the retail battle, but has other things to offer (green space, open architecture) then it's a start. Bring people to Bradford for reasons that Leeds can't, and they'll spend money.