Trouble in the village

There is a very good free newsletter distributed in our village which contains adverts for local businesses, letters to the editor, information notices and the minutes of the Parish Council meetings. The editor tends to get a bee in his bonnet about things and has used this month's editorial to try and advance his own views as the views of the village.

There is a site in the middle of the village opposite the church and not coincidentally within sight of this guy's house, which has been the subject of controversy for some years. Part if it - an apparently Georgian building formerly used by a printing firm - has recently been demolished. Now Georgian and demolished don't go together in the same sentence. But it wasn't listed and they got permission to demolish it. If you'd seen it you'd have just thought it was just an ordinary modern building and it didn't look particularly representative of the period.

The editor of our newsletter is vehemently opposing - in bold type and capital letters - any development on this site. Some of us would prefer to see the site developed as it is an eyesore as it is. One planning application for houses has already been rejected because they were too densely packed so I'm sure the planners will insist anything built will fit in with existing buildings. There is a house a few yards from this site which is nearing completion. Because of the materials used once the builders mess is removed it will look as though it was built years ago - it fits in with surrounding buildings. I'm sure the same thing can be achieved with this other larger site.

Some people in this village are very nimby-ish. Yet if there are more houses built it helps to ensure the continued presence of the post office and general store not to speak of the village school. Obviously no one wants the village to get too big but as every planning application for even minor works takes forever to be approved I don't think there's any danger of that. It will be interesting to see what happens.