Published at 09:07, Monday, 09 July 2012

I AM dismayed at the decision made by the west area planning committee to allow the planned redevelopment of Prudhoe town centre to go ahead (Courant, June 22).

The following are some of what committee members have supported.

Levels of traffic coming into the town will cause greater congestion and hazards.

There will be a new road and extra traffic lights coming off Station Bank to supermarket/car park and new housing between Castlefield and Cranleigh Grove entrances.

A retaining wall running along the length of road will reach heights of 10-12 metres, level with the roof of a three-storey town house.

There will be a four or five-storey block of flats on Station Road, above Castlefields.

There are no water courses within the vicinity of the site.

This redevelopment will risk the vitality and viability of Front Street and its existing businesses.

No wonder people objected this development. But don’t worry, there are 82 conditions imposed on this which are supposed to remedy things.

Many won’t mean ‘diddley jot’ as before development commences these conditions can be amended, rescinded or even ignored as has happened in the past all over the country.

All I can say now is ‘Thank God’ for the people who raised concerns, and to those who supported this development: ‘Don’t clap yet; it isn’t over!’

COUN. JENNIFER McGEE,

Prudhoe North ward,

Prudhoe Town Council

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