Building for the future

Having been party to the reasoning and explanations behind the latest design for development of Grimsby town centre, I feel a pat on the back for both Mark Hodson and the local planning authority is required.
The prestigious plot at the junction of Frederick Ward Way and Victoria Street South should rightly be reserved for a landmark building. The retail 'sheds' across the road and the awful telephone exchange don't really do that main entrance to Grimsby town centre for visitors any favours.
And while the red-brick design released earlier this year was certainly something better to look at, the new vision is a massive improvement on that. Rather than fitting in completely with what is already there (that's a lot of red brick if you drive the length of Frederick Ward Way), this really stands out as something special. More glass gives it transparency and the curves on the major junction give it a futuristic feel.
If we are to encourage people back into the town centre, to regain control of it out of office and shopping hours, then how better than to raise the bar and make it a place to be proud of.
Cleethorpes has seen a boom in smart cafe bars, restaurants and shops, on the back of modern living. There's no reason why with the right designs in the right places, this cannot come to Grimsby. I firmly believe Mark Hodson has a great vision for this town, and the fact that the local authority now has people who are willing to go back to these great creators and ask them to improve again, a forward thinking set of minds, can only be good for the town.
Let's hope this vision is soon a reality.