Colchester RSS Feed Send your news, pictures & videos


Colchester court building to open on time and on budget

3:00pm Tuesday 14th February 2012 in Colchester By James Calnan

Colchester's new court building Colchester's new court building

COLCHESTER’S new magistrates’ court building is on course to open on April 2, it has been revealed.

Her Majesty’s Court Service has confirmed the complex at St Botolph’s Circus will open on time and on budget.

The new building houses four magistrates’ courts and a youth and family facility.

It will overlook a town square, which has not yet been built.

When the courthouse won planning permission, its distinctive design split opinions and led it to being dubbed “Marmite House”.

Colchester’s Lib Dem MP Sir Bob Russell said five Tory councillors who voted for it should be named and shamed on a plaque in the town.

Andrew Ellis, one of the Tories who supported the planning application, said he felt vindicated by the positive response to the building. He said: “I’m comfortable with the decision we made and I think it’s an asset for the town. No one I’ve spoken to has had any problems with it.

“I’d be perfectly happy if Mr Russell wants to have a plaque made and have my name added to it.”

Sir Bob insisted people he had spoken to did not like the building.

He said: “To my mind the building is ugly, out of scale and out of keeping. It comes to something when we have better looking multi-storey car parks, such as the nearby Osborne Street one facing Southway, which is more attractive and better designed than the new courthouse, which should be a prestige civic building.”

The complex replaces courts in Colchester and Harwich.

Colchester Council has invited anyone interested in using the current Colchester Magistrates’ Court in the town hall, to get in touch.

Harwich Magistrates’ Court is to be sold on the open market.

Comments(18)

jim_bo says...
6:47pm Tue 14 Feb 12

For once I agree with Bob, it's ugly!

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

tomclover says...
7:51pm Tue 14 Feb 12

What's wrong with bob? He hates everything about Colchester these days.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

tomclover says...
7:51pm Tue 14 Feb 12

What's wrong with bob? He hates everything about Colchester these days.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

Reginald47 says...
9:36pm Tue 14 Feb 12

It looks a striking building to me - in a good way.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

Feisty CBC says...
11:40pm Tue 14 Feb 12

It's not that bad looking. At least it was built on time, in budget and is functional unlike a certain building nearby.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

Simon Taylor says...
11:47pm Tue 14 Feb 12

I didn't think I would like it as an addition to Colchester's architectural heritage but, actually, I do.
Shame about the predictable humbug.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

wellnow says...
8:47am Wed 15 Feb 12

it says something about today's society when the magistrates court is the high light of architectural heritage.i'm not with bob i think it looks strangely imposing,but the siting and scale is all wrong.after all it's not a building you would want to visit,or be seen in.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

inafewwords says...
8:54am Wed 15 Feb 12

It's a monstrosity!

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

Simon Taylor says...
10:04am Wed 15 Feb 12

wellnow wrote:
it says something about today's society when the magistrates court is the high light of architectural heritage.i'm not with bob i think it looks strangely imposing,but the siting and scale is all wrong.after all it's not a building you would want to visit,or be seen in.
Point taken, but if we've got to have a magistrates court then we might as well have a well designed one.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

tharr182 says...
10:15am Wed 15 Feb 12

The front windows looking like prison bars, great touch!

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

Bing Bong says...
1:21pm Wed 15 Feb 12

My names is Bob Russell AKA moan about anything be rude and have no clue. Note: not Sir Bob, that is for people that deserve it, and he does not.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

Ritchie_Hicks says...
5:10pm Wed 15 Feb 12

As if there isn't enough dross hanging around this part of town as it is...

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

dawnsy says...
6:53pm Wed 15 Feb 12

for 1 it's an eyesaw for 2 what sort of idiot thought about the use of the train station and all the ppl hangin arnd outside their alldaay disaster waiting to happen you watch...somebody pls get permission to pull it down again all the suspected crims from whereever their aint a local court will all be flooding down here great good one pat yourselfs on the back marvellous job NOT ...

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

Im_Like_HELLO says...
7:06pm Wed 15 Feb 12

Good to see it open on time and on budget, and a very useful location next to the railway station.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

Sdapeze says...
12:22pm Thu 16 Feb 12

I hated the look of the building when it was first presented to us. But now, seeing it nearly complete, I quite like the look. I thought it was going to be black for some reason. Seeing the light brown colour I think it blends well with nearby buildings. But, if the police had been doing their job properly we wouldn't have needed this new building and the Town Hall would have not been made redundant and the site could have been used for our bus station. Next to the train station is exactly the place where a bus station should be - of course!

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

romantic says...
5:27pm Thu 16 Feb 12

Judge and Jury may also be looking forward to the opening. Upper bar for the lawyers, old Fagin´s Den for the accused?

sdapeze, crime is not something new! Surprisingly, they had to have courts and prisons even in the good old days. Agree with you about the bus station, though: it would have been the ideal location for it. But that´s another issue and too late to change it now.

As for the court itself, I hope never to see the inside of it!

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

PROOFREADER says...
6:37pm Thu 16 Feb 12

It looks like anyone who is going before a judge is getting a taste of what is possibly to come as the building has bars on the windows.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

notuagen says...
8:37am Fri 17 Feb 12

looks more like a crown court.time was when the naughties were processed over burtons,then in the town hall. now,wow wow wow look at me chaps..

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

click2find

Most popular


About cookies

We want you to enjoy your visit to our website. That's why we use cookies to enhance your experience. By staying on our website you agree to our use of cookies. Find out more about the cookies we use.

I agree