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North Ness Petrol Tank & Future Development Potential


jeemsie
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Assuming the proposed cinema/music venue goes ahead in the near future, and from a recent times article (31st March i think) where there were rumblings of a new library possibility, on reading this story about relocating the oil depot...

 

http://www.shetland-news.co.uk/pages/news%20stories/04_2006/move_oil_depots_–_conveners_demand.htm

 

...the question is, what else can be developed down there, our rapidly developing cultural hub, what else would folk want/need?

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I think that any form of new building within the potential blast area of the oil tanks should not go ahead, at the very least until the report on Buncefield is published, although that is not to be taken as any sort of crafty plan to delay the new arts venue.

 

Should the tanks be moved, and I do not think there will be a great hurry by BP to move them, there must be an exclusion zone that is safe from any future development so the same issue does not arise again.

 

One passing thought. BP as a commercial company existing to make profit might just look at the costs involved in supplying Shetland and other small rural communities and decide that they would just empty and remove their tanks and depart. Now that would cause problems.

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Lerwick developed around its port but there are relatively few places where you can get down to the waterfront for a quiet sit or stroll without getting in the way of any of the working areas of the harbour (the peerie boat harbour and the south end are the only exceptions I can think of).

 

I havent been down to the North Ness for a while so I'm not sure about what land is still available. A waterfront boardwalk or park would be good (although I seem to remember this has been spoken about). The new museum and cinema/music venue should add life to the area at weekends and in the evenings but some waterfront bars or shops would be good and a good quality seafood restaurant to tie in with the nautical theme. And some ground could I am sure be designated for an appropriate mix of rented/private houses or flats.

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There is a waterfront walk between the museum and the oil jetty. Seats and lights for night time use.....if the vandals have not destroyed it.

 

i have had a look, about 9 months ago, which is why (or part of the reason) i was wondering as to what else could be provided in the area assuming the oil depot was to be shifted, quite like the idea of opening it up for commercial development (seafood restaurant, waterside bar/cafes) which would bring more folk down to enjoy the waterfront itself, i just remember itching to go further along the walk but not able to bypass the security of the oil depot (didna want to get rust marks fae the shackled gate) i just think there is a tremendous potential to expand a possible buzz about the place that shouldn't stop at a cinema/music venue (which would ordinarily be internalised) i presume the museum would be opened up to the waterfront, cafe seating, external exhibitions, and think this could be extended upon beyond council intervention

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It would be good to have it branded a bit more as a cultural quarter (which I'm sure the Cinema/Music Venue and Museum would add impetus to) to give it a new name and to introduce a bit more in the way of public art, fancy lighting (instead of the standard lamp posts which are in there just now) street furniture, gateway signs, a new logo for the whole site etc. Alongside the waterfront bars/restuarants I mentioned before, slanting the retailing towards indigenous Shetland products could set it aside from elsewhere and it would be good to have some workshop space for artists/craftspeople etc if there is the demand. Holding design competitions could encourage some innovative thinking in terms of the design of new buildings too - what about a landmark eco-friendly residential building of some sort? A good mix of different land uses which encourage activity at all times of the day/week and well designed buildings which link in well with their surroundings seem to be the key to the success of other waterfront developments in the UK.

 

I know the Shetland climate restricts outside activities but the worst thing that could happen is if the individual parts of the site are all designed in isolation (and do all end up being internalised as you put it Jeemsie) and the rest ends up a sea of tarmac, doing nothing to take advantage of the waterfront location or encourage folk to walk/cycle/spend time outside there.

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There is a waterfront walk between the museum and the oil jetty. Seats and lights for night time use.....if the vandals have not destroyed it.

 

When I first stumbled on that walk, I found it really random. I can't imagine anyone ever going there...

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Tom wrote

When I first stumbled on that walk, I found it really random. I can't imagine anyone ever going there...

 

The path at the North Ness formed part of walk 2 in a glossy leaflet from NHS Shetland promoting walking for health. Then the museum builders moved on site and despite someone giving a promise that access would be kept open whenever possible the fences went up and even at times like the Xmas break no effort was made to allow walkers to follow the waterfront.

 

Still on the North ness topic I think the new museum viewed from the outside looks terrible. In fact I think the seaward side of Mackays store is nicer to look at.

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i think they should be more private housing available in Lerwick, and this site would be ideal. we in shetland especialy in lerwick bung the same things in the same area, is shops can only be in the middle industeral in in another and officies in another - in a real town it should be all mixed up - this helps in saftey and security as well as parking - when the offices and shops are open the staff cars come in and when they are closed the home owners are in and this protects the business propertys as people will be living in the area and will hear any carry on and report it to the police. it would be nice to walk - if not drive from the centre of the toon out to the co-op.

 

ps having a road along the peirs would help in situations like last week whare commercial road was closed, then all hell broke out. worth thinking about?

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  • 8 months later...

( ** MOD EDIT ** - title changed from "North Ness Fuel Tanks (Fire in Lerwick)" on 13th February 2008 to better reflect the shifting topic )

 

Police have evacuated part of central Lerwick after a serious fire broke out at an engineering and boat yard.

 

A 200m cordon has been placed around the area as a precautionary measure because the affected building contains oxygen and gas cylinders.

 

Shetland's main fuel depot is within the area.

 

Firefighters are trying to bring the fire under control and officers from Northern Constabulary have closed off parts of nearby roads.

 

Taken from BBC News.

 

I'm guessing its around the Malakoff bit at the North Ness. Wasn't this the area that people voiced concerns about after the Buncefield explosion?

 

Can anybody see anything?

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