Civic Voice May Convention Colchester

Civic Voice Convention In Colchester – Saturday May 18th

Colchester Civic Society is hosting a southern and eastern region Convention for Civic Voice. This is a rare opportunity for representatives from Civic Societies across East Anglia, London and the South East come together. We hope it will provide an opportunity for networking as well as engaging with the event’s main themes.

This will be a one day event. The morning session will focus on issues and concerns arising from the growth and development of our towns and cities. The afternoon sessions will involve a change of focus, with presentations from Historic England on their recently announced plaque scheme followed by a presentation about Colchester Civic Society’s unique Plaque Trails.

The venue for this convention is , a public gallery designed by Rafael Viñoly. Opened in 2011, it was the subject of much controversy and opposition at the time because it is built on the site of what was previously Colchester’s bus station. It is now a thriving gallery and community resource.

Colchester is Britain’s first city and also its newest. Awarded city status in 2022, the centre of this fast growing city continues to be largely contained within the massive defensive walls of the original Roman City of Camulodunum, built almost 2000 years ago.

Colchester has undergone many changes in its long history and, in more recent times, underwent major redevelopments in the nineteen sixties, seventies and eighties. Now a new round of major changes is underway. In addition to around £40 million of government funding allocated for public works in central Colchester, there are numerous private development proposals pending, or in progress.

The Morning Session 10am – 1pm

Howard Davies – Chair of Colchester Civic Society will start the morning session with an introduction to Colchester and the work of the Colchester Civic Society.

John Burton - President of Colchester Civic Society will begin with a look at the issues arising from major proposals for redevelopment within this historic setting and the failure of a recent masterplan to produce an integrated vision which would both honour the historic environment and ensure high quality public spaces and private redevelopments. Colchester needs a strong and comprehensive masterplan as it undergoes major changes in response to the decline of large scale retailers and department stores. Sadly, we do not have one.

Nicholas Boy Smith - founder of and chair of the

We will then shift focus from the specific local issues onto a broader perspective with input from Nicholas Boys Smith who started Create Streets in 2012 “out of frustration with the low quality of too much recent development and of irrational decision-making.”

Create Streets research links urban form and wellbeing, health, sustainability, prosperity, value and popularity. They advise communities, landowners, councils and developers and lobby for necessary policy change with a view to helping communities and long-term investors develop exemplar schemes and better manage the streets and public spaces they already have.

Office for Place is part of the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, its stated vision is to “help shift how the planning system is used, as a shield against the worst to its future role as a champion of the best.”

We hope there will be ample time for questions and discussion during this morning session.

Lunch 1pm – 2pm A buffet lunch will be served and we will have an hour for socialising or exploring the Firstsite Gallery.

The Afternoon Session 2pm - 4pm

Historic England’s National Blue Plaque Scheme. A representative from Historic England will inform us about the recently announced national blue plaque scheme (run on behalf of the Department for Media, Culture and Sport), which is intended to celebrate people throughout history who have made significant and positive contributions to human welfare or happiness.

The Colchester Plaque Trails. Rosemary Jewers Vice President Colchester Civic Society will speak about the development of Colchester Civic Society’s Plaque Trails.

After a fellow member muted the idea of a book-based plaque trail Rosemary investigated the possibility of an online trail. This led her to develop the online walks now available via the Colchester Civic Society Website. Rosemary worked with Placecheck Online to develop the walks and also headed up a team of helpers who researched the history behind each of Colchester’s plaques. This went live in November 2018. Each trail not only shows the position of many of Colchester’s plaques on a map; it also provides a photo for each one, along with comprehensive information about the person, place or event commemorated.

Colchester Civic Society are now working in partnership with other local organisations to create a plaque trail for the Castle Park. This will have a slightly different approach which will be explained.

A tour of Colchester 4pm

Specially put together to link with the themes and concerns of this convention, this will be conducted by Colchester Civic Society members who are also official Colchester Town guides.

Are you planning to stay overnight? Colchester has much to offer for a longer visit. If you are thinking of staying over on Friday or Saturday nights then please do get in touch with John Salmon. He will send you information to help book your stay. Contact him on [email protected]

Host or Publisher Colchester Civic Society