Published at 07:43, Wednesday, 16 January 2013

IT beggars belief that Hexham Town Council and Hexham Civic Society are raising objections to the proposed mini-retail park on the grounds that the new buildings are not of a type that would fit in with Hexham’s historic landscape.

Hexham is one of the ugliest of rural towns in the North of England.

The Abbey, the Moot Hall and the Old Gaol are the only buildings of any historic interest. One just has to drive into town from the A69 to see what an eyesore it is.

On the left is an area of dereliction once occupied by Fewster’s Garage and now occupied by hundreds of containers.

As one crosses the river you are confronted by the appalling turquoise coloured roof of Hexham General Hospital and the blank wall of the Forum Cinema.

It’s time the authorities relaxed their negative attitude to commercial planning applications and allowed for the creation of new businesses and jobs in the town.

STEPHEN BOYLE,

Bardon Mill

Published by http://www.hexhamcourant.co.uk