IF you are about to build something new you normally do your homework.

The big problem we have sometimes is that there is always a complete lack of common sense that goes in building new things.

Take for example the Barbara Castle Way medical centre which has sprung up in Blackburn over the last five or so years.

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A brand spanking new building and one which I am very proud of.

It is my home town after all and I love it when new buildings go up.

Sometimes I stand and stare and watch the landscape change before they move me on.

Recently, I have been popping into this place due to a foot injury I sustained. A couple of things strike you.

First off, the car park is obviously too small to house the number of vehicles.

Seeing as most of the visitors tend to be elderly (and this is not saying old folk are bad drivers but let’s say they just like to take their time), this should not be a car park.

First of all there’s these great big columns in the middle which make parking very difficult.

On the one hand it is great to have a car park underneath the building, but then again it is almost impossible to park your car without scraping the sides on these monstrous columns.

With the amount of computer generated 3D technology I envisage some technology design boffin decided late at night “It’ll do, it is only Blackburn.”

Then there are the wonderful people who decided that the physiotherapy department should be on the very top floor.

Yes, if you have an ankle injury, a hip injury or knee injury it is best you make your way to the top floor.

Not bad if there is a nippy lift.

Not so great when more than often the lift takes forever arriving.

On the last occasion I hobbled up the stairs and watched several other people hobbling in the other direction.

In the coming months we will see a few more new buildings going up and I can guarantee someone, although they will have done a fine job, will not have done their homework on some of the smaller, finer details. It can’t be that difficult can it?

If you have the resources to do something and the time then there is no excuse for not looking at all possible scenarios.

Use your common sense.

In fact, hire several Blackburn shoppers and ask them what they would like where.

By the way, the staff at the centre are great and make up for the anger issues before one even gets to the reception desk.