WHY NOT EVERYTHING IN THESE GARDENS IS LOVELY

This letter appears in today's Leicester Mercury:

An artist's impression of Cathedral Gardens

Why not everything in these gardens is lovely

As work starts on the removal of an ancient wall, the first stage of the controversial Cathedral Gardens scheme, a number of questions are raised about its funding in these times of recession.

The Diocese of Leicester seems quite happy to accept a £1.9 million grant from Leicester City Council, at a time when the council is proposing to cut £2.2 million from the single persons' homeless budget and almost £1 million from the homeless families budget.

All this at a time when those on benefits or low income are being further stretched by changes in housing benefits and council tax credit, as well as the so called "spare bedroom tax".

Of course, the diocese will argue that the £1.9 million is from a separate budget, but it comes from taxation, including from those who are really struggling at the moment on low incomes and benefits.

It should also be pointed out that accepting the grant puts the diocese in the position of not being able to speak out against the city council's cuts and the waste of money on projects such as Jubilee Square.

Of the remaining £1.1 million needed to complete Cathedral Gardens, through donations and grants, the question needs to be asked, why can't the diocese's Board of Finance find this, or even fund the project outright?

According the most recent accounts obtained from the Charities Commission, the diocese has in the region of £70 million of assets and investments, including £33 million in long-term investments.

The assets of the cathedral are not available, but are likely to be substantial.

With the removal of the ancient wall at the cathedral, perhaps now is the time for the removal of the wall of silence from the diocese,It should explain how public funding of Cathedral Gardens can be morally justified in these austere times and consider whether the project should be postponed.

RJ Bingham, Leicester

CATHEDRAL WILL BE ROOM FOR DOSSERS

This letter appears in today's Leicester Mercury:

Cathedral will be room for dossers

I have looked on the web site at the artist's impression of the cathedral gardens proposal, but cannot see any benches.

I do hope that the new gardens will include some benches so that people can sit and congregate and have a cigarette and a few cans of beer and bottles of cider, as they do at the moment inside the present cathedral entrance.

Perhaps the planners of Soulsby Square (oops, sorry, Freudian slip, I mean Jubilee Square) will note this requirement.

They can also save a little money, as no litter bins will be necessary as cans and bottles will be left on or near the seats for collection.

Cigarette ends can also be swept up from the surrounding area.

John Startin, Leicester

AMBITIOUS £3M VISION FOR LEICESTER CATHEDRAL GARDENS UNVEILED

This article appears in today's Leicester Mercury (and, oddly, in identical form in the next day's edition too)

Ambitious £3M vision for Leicester cathedral gardens unveiled

Church leaders have unveiled images of proposed new £3 million gardens outside Leicester cathedral.

Staff at the historic building want to create an area with trees and flowers that could host outdoor services and concerts.

As previously reported in the Mercury, the clergy and Leicester City Council are jointly funding the £3 million scheme and yesterday artist's impressions were published.

The move will see the precincts of the cathedral being combined with the car park of the redeveloped St Martin's House diocese building for a new public space.

The gardens will be capable of being turned into an outdoor venue with seating for up to 800 people.

They will include a tranquil graveyard created with the gravestones that stand outside the cathedral.

In 2009, before St Martin's House was started, the cathedral announced plans to transform the grounds but a lack of cash was a problem.

The diocese plans to raise its half of the £3 million through grants and private donations.

The Bishop of Leicester, Tim Stevens, said the scheme, which is waiting for planning permission, was going ahead thanks to the backing of city mayor Sir Peter Soulsby.

He said: "We have long wanted to give the cathedral its proper setting in the city and to make our spaces more attractive. Cathedral Gardens will now allow us to do just that.

"We are very grateful to the city mayor for his backing in getting us to this point and look forward to realising our vision during 2013."

The city council cash will come from the £19 million Connecting Leicester fund set up by the city mayor.

The cash will also be used for a new Jubilee Square at St Nicholas' Circle nearby.

Sir Peter said: "Cathedral Gardens would provide a wonderful setting for our city's cathedral and is an excellent example of what could be achieved through a shared Connecting Leicester vision."

The new gardens will include a central lawn and a water feature outside the cathedral.

The planning application will also include the demolition of a wall on the north side of the St Martins House car park to create a new cafe that will link Cathedral Gardens and the entrance to the Guildhall.

Demolishing the wall is likely to be a stumbling block though.

Chairman of Leicester Civic Society Stuart Bailey said: "The wall is a listed building in its own right and we and English Heritage have expressed our concerns about losing it."

He said there were also concerns about plans to straighten the footpath to the east of the cathedral.

The plans are being sent to the city council and the Church of England's own planning authority for approval. Artist's impressions are available at: www.cathedralgardens. dioceseofleicester.com