St Botolph's. Rubble and wasteland regenerated or a lost opportunity to do something arty and different?
I want to make clear I stand up for this as a great proposition and not just because we need more accommodation and to relieve the pressure on places to live.
The Alumno proposal is a thoughtful effort to use this space well, to blend a new development into a very mixed setting.
But what also drives me is the positive message it sends and how that may influence the business climate across Colchester and how we are seen, as a tourism and student destination.
Last year average income in the borough outstripped the average for the east of England for the first time.
The number of number of employers, large and small increased. The number of jobs grew. We had a record number of business units in the borough.
This is more than numbers and dry facts, it is about prosperity in difficult times, that has been helped by this council, working with partners like the Essex University.
Students spend £285 million a year. They and those who work with them are a large slice of our population.
Many will end up staying on, being employed locally, opening businesses, adding their contribution to our town.
The build proposal will mean a significant investment, perhaps £30 million or more.
The students and visitors will spend millions each year. That matters for nearby businesses, encouraging them to invest as well. Don’t be in any doubt about demand.
Our university is clear "there is strong demand for purpose-built student accommodation and that is what students tell us they want".
Whatever your views on St Botolph's I ask that we allow for that bigger economic picture.
Colchester is doing well. Let’s build on that success.
Be proud that students want to come to our borough to study, to socialise, often to stay on. The proposed development helps.
The visitors, the students and the vitality. Regeneration and, yes, the "cash they splash" deserves a warm welcome.
David King
Colchester Council's councillor responsible for resources
Sophy Way, Mile End
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