Clock is ticking (From Malvern Gazette)

Clock is ticking

2:54pm Friday 1st March 2013 in Letters

 CAN you believe thatitis now a year since the planning hearing that saw Sainsbury’s plans for an out oftown superstore in Ledbury decisively rejected by Herefordshire Council?

A measure of calm has descended, but are we being complacent?

Indications are it may not be too long before we find ourselves sprung into another bruising planning battle,for and against.

A huge question mark still hangs over the town – this time right at our heart.

The Lawnside Road area is ripe for development, a piece of prime real estate which any supermarket operator would give their eye teeth to get hold of.

What do local people really want?We have a historic opportunity for our community to have its say, and put forward ideas about the kind of town centre development that might build a better Ledbury for everyone.

Imagine the possibilities for Ledbury’s future. A bustling market square, a small indoor covered marketfor local producers and traders, a beautifully designed swimming pool and sports centre, an all weather track and pitch, well-organized car parking, a new community hall and meeting rooms, and dare we say, a modest supermarket that could complement our existing shops, say a Marks & Spencer, an Aldi or Lidl, possibly a Waitrose. Is that too much to ask?

The big supermarket boys will be keen to take over the whole parcel of land and impose a massive, grey shed in our midst, pushing our community facilities to the outskirts and hoping to snuff out our buoyant independent retail sector.

The clock is ticking. It is only a matter oftime before this opportunity for Ledbury to shape its future has passed.

MARY BAXTER AND RICH HADLEY

Ledbury