Row brews over new estate group
A row is brewing over a new residents' association on a Bury St Edmunds housing estate, which two councillors say is not needed.
St Edmundsbury borough councillor Trevor Beckwith is helping to launch a Moreton Hall Residents' Association to lobby over estate issues, after some residents expressed concern over the possibility of 1,750 extra homes on the estate under the borough council's Local Development Framework (LDF).
However, fellow estate councillors Frank Warby and Terry Buckle say the estate already has an active community association.
Established in January 1983, the community association was pivotal in getting a permanent community centre built on the estate and has been instrumental in other important aspects of estate life, including the youth shelter and youth club.
Cllrs Warby and Buckle said if any extra homes were added to the estate they would be happy about it, as long as infrastructure to support them was in place.
"We're for having more houses, providing we've got the infrastructure - it has been agreed that we'll get it before any houses are built," said Cllr Warby.
The LDF, a blueprint for future development in the borough, has earmarked two sites on the boundaries of the existing estate - off Lady Miriam Way and Compiegne Way - which could be designated for 500 and 1,250 new homes respectively.
Cllr Buckle said: "The community association has been representing residents since 1983. A separate residents' association is not needed."
But Cllr Beckwith said: "I have spoken to the community association, which is quite happy about it, and I have the full support of John Brill, its chairman.
"The community association runs the community centre and organises fun days, which it does brilliantly, but we're not looking to do anything like that.
"The residents' association will be a lobbying group.
"Cllrs Buckle and Warby are just upset they didn't think of it first."
A public meeting to launch the new residents' association will be held at Moreton Hall Community Centre on August 12, at 7.30pm, when Cllr Beckwith said it was hoped members of the public would air issues affecting them.
"The simple reason for setting up a residents' association is that the council just isn't consulting with us. When hundreds of people complained or objected to the LDF they weren't listened to," he said.
A council spokeswoman said the council had listened extensively in the rounds of consultation and was awaiting the outcome of the inspector's report.
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Weather for Bury St Edmunds
Saturday 04 February 2012
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