UNHAPPY rumblings from some of the fun loving residents at CHIPS with news that the front half of the ground floor could become a kiddies nursery.
Much like the rest of the area it’s an expensive jigsaw that needs finishing.
Original plans had it earmarked for a bar/restaurant but now an application has gone in for an early years’ child care centre catering for a dozen babies and 60 toddlers and pre-schoolers.
You can imagine how the clubber’s hearts sank. Especially when they learned that it would also open at weekends from 8am to 5pm.
The building has its own Facebook group, started after recent troubles with the energy efficient combined heat and power plant that left them without hot water for a spell, and there is already talk of a petition.
Only from some though and there is no doubt that provision for child care would be welcomed by many in the wider area and it fits in with the ultimate aim of New Islington being a family community with the new Free School and everything.
The application is from Rob and Kelly Little who would like to open the Little Learning Ladder this summer.
In a letter to residents Kelly says: “In line with Urban Splash’s regeneration of New Islington making it a neighbourhood and community for a mixed group of residents from young professionals to families we are endeavouring to enhance the community amenities by opening a Child Day Care Nursery within Unit 1 of Chips complex – the large unit under the cantilever.
“We intend to submit a planning application in the next week to gain approval for the change of use from a late night bar and estimate that we will be fully open for business by summer 2012.”
There is a promise of 17 jobs – 15 full time and 2 part-time and a planning document in support points out that there is plenty of nearby parking on the rough and ready pay and display right outside the building for parents to use as a drop-off.
It doesn’t say how it is going to fence off the wide terrace which will become a playground, to stop the little people falling into the new canal arm.
It seems a shame that no bar/ restaurant operators have come forward prepared to invest and fit-out this unit that could and should have been a welcome watering hole for New Islington residents, canal users, walkers and anyone generally out for a mooch about.
Maybe the state of the area has been a factor. The much vaunted and really quite wonderful park is still not open to the public, the marina is shielded behind wire mesh, Ancoats Dispensary – Grade II listed – continues to disintegrate slowly behind scaffolding and the approach to Chips is along pock-marked Mill Street and a pot-holed car park. And more wire mesh screens the canal.
At the moment the whole area is a disjointed mess and while it’s amusing to watch a canal barge manoeuvre itself under the new walkway bridge it still doesn’t actually link anything together.
Much like the rest of the area it’s an expensive jigsaw that needs finishing.
You can see detail of the nursery plans here.
Residents of Chips can request to join the Facebook group here. http://www.facebook.com/groups/ChipsResidents
And you can make your views known by e-mailing - littlelearningladder@sky.com
You can follow Jill Burdett on Twitter here.
