'Poor relation' threat to Watford's Queen's Road area - MP (From Watford Observer)

'Poor relation' threat to Watford's Queen's Road area - MP

9:49pm Monday 8th February 2010

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The Queen’s Road area risks becoming a “poor relation” to the town centre if it is excluded from ambitious council regeneration plans, MP Claire Ward warned this evening.

Ms Ward, speaking to a meeting of the Queen’s Road Community Action Group, said residents should lobby Watford Borough Council for inclusion in its town centre “masterplan” or risk falling further behind.

The masterplan, otherwise known as the Watford Town Centre Cultural Study, is currently the subject of an extensive public consultation, with three distinct clusters primed for multi-million pound investments.

The Queen’s Road area, however, plagued in recent years by derelict shops, crime and grime, is not included in these plans – something Ms Ward said needs reconsidering.

She said: “My fear is that in themselves these are very good ideas, but if the council does them in isolation there’s a danger that the Queen’s Road area might be seen to wither slightly because of what is happening in the town centre.”

She added: “The council is about to spend a huge amount of money in Charter Place and the top end of town. If you are not part of that then the money won’t come to you and you will be a very, very poor relation.”

Ms Ward was speaking at the group’s fourth meeting since its inception in November. Audience members also heard briefings from the local police and received an update on measures to tackle anti-social behaviour.

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