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The highland council is spend 8.5 million pounds on new offices, which will look like a morden eyesore in amonst the other places in wick, How can they do this when if you or I want to build a morden house in the neoghbourhood that does not match exsisting buildings. But what really gets me is the goverment want bedroom tax on properties that are rented to people on benifits that are too big for purpose , yet there is no or very few small properties to rent , in my eyes this 8.5 million would be of more use to build some more small houses then people could give up they houses for families ect.
Didn't know the projected cost was £8,500,000... I wonder if they are over or under.
Come on- bureaucrats need bureaux!
The building is a complete eyesore,a modern looking piece of crap joined on to a beautifull existing building. As far as i know every thing seems to run perfect from their tempory place in Girnigoe st. Why they had to build that monstrosity is beyound me. Then any one that wants to start a business in vacant propertys in town is hit with rates beyond means yet they can spend that money on a bloody eyesore. so much for helping local businesses. Think a councillers just suit themselves only and dont give a dam about WICK.
£8,500,000 could have easily funded completely gutting the old building inside, new floors, new walls, modern touches of glass. Then re-pointing outside & a new clock. Would have looked awesome.
Couldn"t agree more with whats been said. Is it just me, or is it the case of government(local/national) not really giving a thought as to what the "ordinary" person in the street thinks of a) where their money is being spent, b) what an eyesore this new building this is.
I may add that many people (many who have moved away to far off shores, & returned on holiday) are shocked to see the demise of Wick. Its such a shame.
I was brought up in East Mey, and moved to Glasgow in 1975. I then returned to Caithness in 2006, having served in Strathclyde Police for 20+yrs.
I have absolute fond memories of going into both Wick & Thurso in the late 60"s/early 70"s, & being in awe of the shops (as a small boy). I think e council (et al) have made a major mistake in Market Square!.
teenybash
11-Oct-14, 23:22
Totally disgusted with this ugly carbuncle that looks like a total eyesore plonked in the middle of Wick. How the council can justify this amount of money being spent on one building, for themselves while the rest of the town is hanging in tatters is beyond belief.
the council has been run from the offices in shore rd whilst the refurb has been going on........ they have managed ok there, so why the big building? two years ago i went into the old building to sign up for business refuse rates and was taken up to the third floor and noticed that there was any amount of empty offices we went through to get to see the refuse dept which was a room larger than my entire house and it was for three workers! in fact most of the work was done in the front office where housing, garage rent, enquiries, complaints etc was dealt with. ive not seen the new building yet.
Conventional stone built structures are timeless and beautiful. The old building should have been sympathetically restored.
The new council building looks disgusting now so think of how revolting and outdated it will look in 20 years.
Genuine question, have many/any local tradesmen or businesses been involved in the construction?
Conventional stone built structures are timeless and beautiful. The old building should have been sympathetically restored.The new council building looks disgusting now so think of how revolting and outdated it will look in 20 years.Genuine question, have many/any local tradesmen or businesses been involved in the construction?Don't be daft, it was probably architects from Edinburgh, a building contractor from Glasgow staffed by Poles, and building materials from abroad.
But I could be wrong! ��
I believe there was a serious subsidence problem with the old building but apart from that totally agree with comments on the new one. When people originally complained about the pictures of what was consented we were told we had been consulted. I don't remember any proper consultation and am sure if there had been this hideous thing would never have got to first base. That stupid clock thing on top looks ridiculous and is not necessary when we have a perfectly good one on the town hall. Sadly councils seem to have no aesthetic sense whatever as can be seen from the complaints in the P&J about Aberdeen Council. The current Wick High School is an attractive building and I'm sure if it had been regularly maintained we would not need a new one, no doubt equally hideous, at eye-watering and escalating cost when all we hear from the Council is cuts and more cuts. Apparently having a community swimming pool and library, so making redundant the ones we have now, was a condition of the Govt. grant. Did the Council tell them it wasn't necessary? This is what happens when Holyrood and Inverness rule our lives.
I'm am sure many other small towns would also hate to have millions spent in the environs.
It makes me laugh everytime the "Nothing wrong with the old stuff" brigade start harumphing about anything modern.
I like the building, I like modern buildings and am really tired of old fogies!
Stack Rock
17-Oct-14, 17:43
Its obviously a contender for next years Stirling Prize going by this years winner
Humerous Vegetable
17-Oct-14, 18:20
Good for you, Pantsman, and enjoy your wee laugh. I like modern buildings too, but not 3D printoffs of "Let's Build a New Town Hall". Some acknowledgement should surely be made of the location, history and surroundings when chucking up a new building? The St James Centre at the top of Leith Walk comes to mind (amongst many others) which was loudly supported by Edinburgh Council at the time, but is now reviled as an architectual monstrosity. Think it's about to be demolished.
To get the real effect of the building, go across the river and look at the rear view. It is in line with the refurb end former J&JM Shearer building, and with the extension to the rear of Wetherspoons, as well as the more utilitarian buildings along the river side eg the French Restaurant. It actually looks more Nordic in nature. The former service point building wasn't actually that old- it replaced the shops and workshops which had been in the square at the time of the herring boom.
How long it is used as local govt as opposed to central govt will be interesting- if the police and fire services became a single force, further centralisation might well need a new generation of buildings.
The refurb of the Town Hall, however was a good example of making the best of existing structures.
Lets just look forward to having full access to the town centre again- and hopefully some Christmas lights?
I'll reserve my opinion for the end result.
Keyser_soze
22-Oct-14, 10:24
I thought that the council offices wouldve been better relocated out at lochshell or use the Hillhead school once they relocate to the new noss school.
The building which the Council have put up looks shocking, if that was a burd on a saturday night when you were out you would just give it the dingy, no ill stick to being single or prozzies !! Who designed that ??? stevie Wonder ?
if that was a burd on a saturday night when you were out you would just give it the dingy, no ill stick to being single or prozzies !!
Always good to get the reasoned opinion of a mildly misogynistic Chippendale LOL!
The council could have been rehoused in the former Caithness glass factory. I'm quite sure the former council offices could have been used for something. Money could have been spent improving the town.
Kevin Milkins
29-Oct-14, 00:55
As much as I want to support anything new and innovative in the town, the look at the moment isn't pretty and every time I go by they are digging something up that has already been put down. I can feel a massive overspend coming on.
Put it in the old bike shop in glamis is road the way they could look at everyone they house in leith walk
Div ye mind yer Kaitness hoosie?
http://www.highland.gov.uk/news/article/8215/caithness_house_chosen_as_name_for_new_wick_office s
Local Councillors, keen to have a new name to encompass both the refurbished original listed building at Market Place and to reflect the new works to incorporate the adjoining building at Stafford Place put forward the suggestion of Caithness House which was unanimously agreed by the Committee.
rogermellie
16-Dec-14, 21:14
Caithness Civic Leader, Councillor Gail Ross added: “The project represents a very significant investment by the Council to Wick and will help with the regeneration of the Town Centre. Having all our staff based under one roof in Caithness House is going to be more convenient for the public and good for inter-service working, as well as helping to bolster the Town Centre.”
how will social work and health services being moved 20 miles away be more convenient for the public in Thurso ?
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