Residents are moving out: claim

Residents on a Welshpool housing estate have been badly let down by Powys County Council claims a Welshpool County Councillor.

The claim comes with work well underway on the block of 17 flats being built by Mid Wales Property for Mid Wales Housing Association on the site of the former Welshpool Social Club.

There were strong objections to the plans from local residents, Welshpool Town Council and Welshpool County Councillor Graham Breeze but approval was given on the casting vote of the then planning committee chairman Councillor David Pryce.

Councillor Breeze says residents on Bron y Buckley were given assurances that their fears on disruption were unfounded when the planners imposed strict regulations on transport movement.

“It was obvious to all the objectors that restrictions ensuring that vehicles turned around on the actual building site were unworkable but Powys officers and planning committee members disagreed,” said Councillor Breeze.

“Now the developers have gone back to the council to amend the planning restrictions and have been given permission to reverse lorries the length of the two access roads, blocking the area while unloading.

“To be fair to the developers there is no alternative now and it is the only way for the work to go-ahead. It is just a shame that the council’s planners, highways engineers and the planning committee members didn’t listen to local opinion in the first place.

“Bron y Buckley is an estate of both private and council-owned properties. Owners and tenants alike have been badly let down and their daily lives seriously disrupted.

“One resident tells me that he and his partner have lived on the estate for 16 years but they have had enough and have decided to move out.

“I have been inundated with complaints over the last two weeks and appeal to the developers to be as understanding as possible of the rights of the estate’s residents.”

The development was given the go ahead by Powys planners with the town facing a shortage of housing being one of the main reasons for the green light.

PICTURE: Artist's impression of the new development.