THE Phoenix Project is set to rise from the ashes of High Wycombe's doomed Western Sector development, but it may have a substantially different look to the original proposals.

The 1980s-style shopping mall which the Western Sector was, is out, according to Cllr Alan Fulford, the district council's cabinet member responsible for major projects.

And, he says, something needs to be done to integrate the Phoenix area with the existing town centre.

The original Western Sector scheme collapsed last autumn when Wycombe District Council ended its agreement with its development partners MAB, saying the MAB scheme was not financially viable.

But the council's cabinet members took a leap of faith on Monday when they decided they wanted to go ahead with the compulsory purchase order (CPO) on 15 small businesses in the Western Sector, even though there is no official developer or financier lined up and no detailed scheme.

The council needs the land in order to get Phoenix under way. If it does not serve the CPO by July the CPO falls and it will take at least another two years to get another.

Cllr Fulford told the Free Press: "This demonstrates in the market place and to the people of High Wycombe that we are deadly serious.

"It shows commitment, even though there is no scheme on the table."

Since the previous Western Sector plan was drawn up, new Government planning guidelines on development in towns encourage building at a greater density. So, there could be more homes in the the new scheme and higher rise buildings of five, six or seven storeys.

Cllr Fulford said one of the benefits of the new scheme was that a fresh look was possible.

He said: "We need to look at this again to try to improve linkages. I am not saying we can, but we have to look at it."

Ideas include a new inner relief road or lifting Abbey Road.

"This is not son of Western Sector," said Cllr Fulford. "It is a whole new concept of mixed development. We can try to do better than the Western Sector."

And he said his enthusiasm had never been greater.

"Since the autumn we have had our foot on the ball looking round to see what may have changed, what the market is and what people in the town think."

He has met representatives from, among others, House of Fraser, British Home Stores, Stannifer (the new owners of the Octagon Centre and potential new developers of Phoenix), and the High Wycombe Society.

"What came out of these meetings is that there is still tremendous enthusiasm for High Wycombe and massive untapped potential in that part of the town.

"What the small businesses want is certainty," he said. "They wanted to know what was happening and whether it was worth investing in their businesses and making long term plans.

"I believe certainty is owed to the property owners, who have been subject to blight for many years."

The only business that will not be affected by the CPO is Tesco, also in the Western Sector. The company's opposition to the CPO led to long delays and helped to scupper the project.

The cabinet cannot afford to take a risk on the amount of compensation Tesco might have to be paid.

"We are saying to Tesco it would be better to develop without your building, but we will develop round you if we can't."

Tesco is also interested in buying the university site nearby and Cllr Fulford said: "They will have to decide whether they want to deal with the college or come to an accommodation with Phoenix."

He said he wanted to do things in co-operation with Tesco, but added: "I won't allow them to dictate the agenda the way they did before."

Meanwhile, the High Wycombe Society is worried about previous remarks made by the cabinet about the new scheme being market-led.

Cllr Fulford said he made no excuses for this

"It would be absurd not to look at Phoenix differently. The Western Sector was unviable. Phoenix has to be viable and that means it must be market driven."

That does not mean the council will not support it, but councillors would have to weigh up the benefits against the costs to the council tax payer.

"We might get a better scheme by more subsidy. I have an open mind," he said.

The cabinet's views will be looked at by two scrutiny committees before going back to cabinet on April 8. The full council meets on April 22 to agree the CPOs.

February 14, 2002 13:38