'We’re losing Garstang's character  - inch by inch'

Residents have been fighting this development for over three years and it’s been a long painful wait for the inevitable. I’m sure that’s a feeling shared by neighbours on Joe Lane and Pugh’s Farm etc, who have had to cope with the disruption and damage that a new development brings.

While local authority planning procedures allow for a consultation process, this appears to be a sham.

Our experience of the planning process has revealed how powerless ordinary folk are in the face of relentless bureaucracy and powerful construction companies.

Developers simply ‘cut and paste’ their applications with little feel for the local area.

I will scream if I read another housing application that claims all the new residents will be shunning their cars and taking to the roads on their bikes.

Does anyone really believe this nonsense?

I doubt it but, as has been admitted to us by planning consultants, local residents’ opinions are dismissed as irrelevant by planning bodies.

Just a process to be gone through.

Worse, having attended several planning approval meetings, it seems some committee members use planning meetings to catch up on lost sleep, whilst others are so unfamiliar with the local area that Garstang gets confused with Great Eccleston.

Since I started to write this letter, yet another letter from Wyre Borough Council has arrived.

This time it is inviting us to give our comments on the detailed planning for the development of 46 new homes on the beautiful field next to Garstang High School.

And in the pipeline are another 104 houses planned for Calder House Lane.

So here we go again!

More houses, more traffic, more accidents, more flooding, less green space, less time for GPs with patients, less time for teachers with pupils.

The beauty and tranquillity of Garstang and its surrounding villages are gradually but surely being eroded and the semi-rural character is disappearing inch by inch.

Those who stand to benefit most from this apparently couldn’t care less about the impact on the area or the rest of us, just as long as the money rolls in.

Gaynor Gee and Paul Hafren

Garstang

flooding

‘Solution’ will lead to issues

After many months of complaining, backed by our local councillor David Howarth, (Penwortham West), we were advised that the Highways Department will take action to eradicate the excess standing water in our road every time it rains.

Well, actually they’re not.

Their solution, in their own words, “will not completely resolve the ponding (sic) problem”. That’s because they’re simply going to raise the kerbstones to try and keep the water in the road, and off the pavement.

No mention of any actual attempt to try and drain the water away, ie a couple of additional gulleys.

In effect, all the car owners in our area are to have raised kerbs, causing problems accessing their driveways.

Besides any potential damage to tyres and wheels, there is the fact that most homeowners have, in fact, paid to have these kerbs ‘dropped’ at some stage in the past and the Highways is reversing this action without any discussion or offer of compensation with residents.

I have emailed the Highways Department, advising I do not wish to have these works for the above reasons. Do you think I will receive a positive response? Or will I have a group of council workers digging up my drive access, ignorant of the fact I neither asked for nor want them there.

Andy MacDonald

via email

brexit

Stand up for vulnerable

Parliament is discussing different routes forward for our country after recent political showdowns. We urge politicians to think about the impact of Brexit on the North West. British people had a range of reasons for casting their vote back in 2016. But we can say, for certain, nobody voted to become poorer. We know now every version of Brexit leaves us worse off.

According to the Government’s own analysis, May’s deal would dent our economy in the North West by 2.2 per cent. Brexit will be disastrous for jobs here. Recent University of Sussex research shows 39,750 people in the North West are at risk of losing their jobs if we leave the EU on soft Brexit terms. This number doubles if we crash out of the EU with no deal.

It’s time for MPs from all parties to focus their energies on opposing May’s Brexit deal and ruling out a disastrous no deal. MPs must stand up for the most vulnerable communities. We urge politicians to find a way to bring the British people back into the Brexit process. This is the democratic thing to do now.

Signed by 156 readers in Lancashire

appeal

Searching for Gran’s cousin

My gran, Susan Dix, is desperately trying to find her cousin, who is the last member of her mother’s side to the family.

My gran has lost the address and phone number for her cousin, and she has forgotten her cousin’s marriage name. Her cousin’s name is Susan, maiden name Ellis.

Her husband is called Tom, and her sons are Richard and Oliver. Her mother and father were Hettie and Stan. They were last known living in the Preston area.

Each year, my gran receives a Christmas card from her cousin and is unable to send one back or get in touch! My gran is 73 and would love nothing more than to be able to regain contact with her last childhood family member.

Rebecca via email

Please call 01772 554537 or email [email protected] and we will pass your details on.