23 July 2026
The consultation that I was in favour of in 2025 has now been substantially altered and I now think it is so radically different as to be detrimental to the town. The construction materials are not in keeping with the heritage of the town. It has now become a housing project instead of a redevelopment of the town centre. The access and egress onto Station Road would be adversely effected. The car parking is now substantially reduced and access from the shops would be arduous and unsafe. Many of the green areas have now been abandoned and any commitment to a museum and other communal spaces have disappeared. We are a heritage town, our success depends on any development being inkeeping with this heritage.