PLANS to put up to 70 new houses into Matchborough centre have raised the concerns of ward councillor and Conservative group leader Juliet Brunner.
The centre, which together with the one at Winyates is earmarked for a facelift, was chosen as the possible location for the extra dwellings under the borough’s new local plan, recently approved by planning inspector Michael Hetherington.
“I’m extremely interested to know where they’re going to put these extra homes. We don’t want any high rises,” said Coun Brunner.
“The ground around here is really quite wet too so there will be some drainage issues to deal with.”
A consultation exercise was recently held at the centre, attracting hundreds of comments from young and old alike.
“It was a tremendous opportunity for local people to come together to shape the future of where they live and it will be interesting to see the plans the consultants come up with,” said Coun Brunner.
She added issues to deal with included the future of the bus lane and the no through road for traffic, particularly with Church Hill centre now a through route.
The fate of Matchborough’s two car parks – whether one would be sacrificed for building land – and parking for the residents of the new properties were also areas of concern.
Finally, there was the form the new centre would take and whether it would be opened up into a thoroughfare on the lines of Church Hill and Winyates centres.
