Dear Paul,

It was so good Hillsborough for two nights last week and I can’t thank you enough for your kind hospitality, not to mention that most illuminating dinner you gave for me. As always, it was a great pleasure to meet so many people for the trouble they take over these exercises.
 I much valued our discussion just before I left on Friday morning and am so glad you are going to pursue the idea of encouraging your officials — and perhaps some planning people, road engineers and housebuilders? — to visit Poundbury, as well as Yorkshire Forward. Likewise, as we discussed, it would be splendid if some key people from the Province could attend some of my Foundation for Built Environment’s courses in London, and Michael Mehaffy is the man to contact.

I mentioned the issue of Armagh Gaol and suggested that my Phoenix Trust would be only too happy to help with any advice with regard to its conservation and re-use. And, while on the subject of goals, I suggest that Ruithin Gaol would be a good example of the regeneration and re-use of a redundant historic site for officials to visit.

We discussed the issue of an Action-Learning Pilot Scheme which has remained in abeyance since last year, but which, if implemented, could help perhaps break the mould of housing “ghettoes” in Northern Ireland. You may remember that both Paul Murrain, from my Foundation, and John Thompson are ready to help with this whenever you give the word!

As usual, I repeated myself — yet again — the potential value to be realized from the regeneration and re-use of redundant historic landmark sites, often as catalysts for sympathetic, associated new development along the lines of Caterham Barracks in Surrey. You said that you might consider Ebrington Barracks as a candidate for similar treatment and, if so, you might find it worthwhile to talk to Linden Homes which was the company that did work at Caterham.

Finally, I was delighted to hear that good progress was being made in establishing a Northern Ireland version of Prime Cymru and that Julia Evans, the Chief Executive, was going to come over to talk to your officials. Hopefully, by the time of my next visit to the Province — and if I am still alive by then — I will be able to see heartening signs of progress in all these issues we discussed …

Meanwhile, this bring you countless good wishes and I need hardly say, apologies for pestering you about so many things.

Yours ever

Charles