Hundreds back plans to save Newport from developers
Monday 18th July 2011, 6:38PM BST.
Hundreds of people in Newport have backed an internet campaign opposing plans for hundreds of homes, a supermarket and a business park.
They have launched a campaign against proposals for a multi-million pound plan to develop land off the A518 bypass and a separate site off Station Road.
The proposals also include improvements to Burton Borough School, which would be funded through a Government Building Schools for the Future grant.
The new supermarket off Station Road in Newport could be up to 60,000 square feet – 50 per cent larger than Sainsbury’s in Telford.
Despite developers claiming the supermarket would create more than 500 jobs, residents have set up a campaign website and more than 400 people have signed a Facebook page to support the campaign.
The supermarket and petrol filling station have been earmarked for land off Station Road with 800 houses and a business park earmarked to be built on land across sites at Audley Avenue.
Bronwen Jones, who set up the website called Save Newport, claimed the development could destroy the town’s economy.
She said: “The main objections are using rural land to build on and adding even a huge supermarket chain to the peripheral of the town subsequently affecting small local businesses.
“We are in danger of losing our identify and turning into another commercial generic hole only fit for housing or shopping.
“Why not build houses on the brown sites in Newport which would be a lot more central and convenient to local shoppers?”
Councillors in the town have also hit out at the plans and called for them to be thrown out.
Councillor Adam Stanton, for Newport West on Telford & Wrekin Council, said: “The proposal, put before the town’s borough councillors last November, was similar to plans currently being put to the public but with a smaller number of new homes.
“The plans were stopped at the drawing board stage.”
Councillor Adrian Meredith, for Newport South on Telford & Wrekin Council, said: “What we are having put before us is a rehashed plan with most of the benefits removed and a far larger number of houses.”
By Jason Lavan
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Newport needs a good supermarket to bring much needed trade to the town.
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The plans for hundreds of houses, a supermarket and petrol station off Station Road, Newport, are ridiculous and unsustainable. A petrol station off the A41 may be justified; a supermarket on the old Focus site perhaps, although there are two perfectly good supermarkets within the town. Who is going to buy all the houses they want to build around Newport anyway? People’s jobs are no longer secure and young people can’t afford mortgages. How will the schools and doctors’ surgeries cope with all these extra people? If we wanted to live in a large town, we’d live in Telford. Telford already has the infrastructure in place; it was built with the car in mind. We choose to live in Newport because it is friendly and has managed to retain its own identity, despite being part of Telford & Wrekin. LEAVE OUR TOWN ALONE you money-grabbing, faceless individuals. Most of you have probably never even visited Newport so how can you tell us what’s good for us and our town? Name and address supplied.
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Who is going to buy all the houses they want to build around Newport anyway? People’s jobs are no longer secure and young people can’t afford mortgages. How will the schools and doctors’ surgeries cope with all these extra people?
Steady on Mr. Tomlinson, you’re confusing yourself here. If, as you intimate, no-one is going to buy these houses, then where are all these extra people coming from pray???
I hardly think that anybody willing to lay out the amount of money necessary to complete this proposed development have never visited the town. They will, no doubt, have done their homework on this.
The article states that more than 400 residents have signed the Facebook petition against this plan. Considering that a 2008 poll puts the population at between 12,500 and 15,500, those who have signed are obviously in the minority.
Progress it’s called sir, it happens all over the country, you may even find that things will be much better in the town after this development goes ahead. The “olde worlde” market towns are dying on their feet if you hadn’t noticed, Wem, Market Drayton, Shrewsbury, and don’t blame the supermarkets for that, they thrive because they offer a better service and better prices.
Get used to it, it will happen.
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I think you’ll find that Lesley indicates that the writer is female, Leslie is the male equivalent.
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I think you’ll find that the biggest blow to Market Drayton’s town centre economy coincided most amazingly with the opening of the supermarkets…
Progress is all well and good but not at the cost of spirit and culture.
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And the reason they never visit Newport is because there is nothing to visit for and I should know, up until 6 months ago I lived in Telford before I moved to Newport and I never ever visited before because it wasn’t worth the petrol money to buy a tin of beans in B & M’s!
2 perfectly good supermarkets?? Co-op overpriced and poor quality (every pint of milk I buy in there goes off in 24 hrs), Waitrose too expensive for a full weekly shop
I live in Newport yet still do my shopping in Telford because I cannot buy what I want in Newport because neither Co-op or Waitrose stock it as do all my family who also live in Newport (and there’s a few of them!), Newport most definitely needs an alternative supermarket which I believe will bring people into the High Street for a change of scenery whilst doing their weekly shop.
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Might I just add that the quality is far superior to any other supermarket and if you check a basket of goods with say Tesco’s there is not much difference in price. However if you buy outside of the basket and buy the the more unusual items then yes you might pay a little more.Not worth the extra petrol/diesel money needed to get to Telford.
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@ Matt “Newport needs a good supermarket to bring much needed trade to the town” ….
History would suggest that a large supermarket wil do exactly the opposite I’m afraid ….
This was one of the big boasts by the developers at the meeting held recently at The Burton Borough …. except they were unable to provide one example of anywhere in the country where the addition of a large supermatket was beneficial to any local economy – they in fact had to concede that revenue would quickly be drawn away form the town centre itself.
Heck, it wasn’t that long ago that Telford & Wrekin threw out proposals for a small Aldi or Lidl type supermarket at the site of Classic Furniture or the Mere Park complex, stating it wasn’t viable and would have a critically adverse effect on the High Street ….
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Matt,
Newport already has 2 supermarkets. Maybe if you dont like whats on offer there you could take the 15 min drive to the 24 hour Asda in Donnington, where you could shop to your hearts content at what ever time of the day or night you choose.
People chose to live in Newport because its a lovely little town within east walking distance of beautiful countryside. If peace and quiet and open spaces dont appeal, then buy your home in Telford.
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The size of the plan is just too large. 800 homes on this development would possibly equate to 2500 people and 1500 extra cars and why on earth would Newport need a supermarket bigger than Sainsbury’s at Telford. Can’t they just develop where there are already empty space at Focus and on Audley Ave, Ind. Est.
If the other plan also comes off near Moorfield School of 300+ homes then its even more people. I would suggest that a new senior school would be required rather than developing the one they have already.
There would be a need for more green space for the children to play on rather than taking it away, in the case of the Audco fields. What would be next Shukers and the Rugby Club??
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what next……..the railway returning to Newport?
the canal extension ?
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wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! yes please.
THAT will really bring in the tourists.
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Get the market up and running properly on a Saturday and I’m positive you’ll have a flood of visitors into town. You can’t call Newport a market town when the market consists of half a dozen stalls most of which don’t sell produce.
Its no good on a Friday afternoon when everyone is at work!
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A – im puzzled why you bothered to move to Newport 6 months ago if you feel it has nothing to offer you.
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I quite agree. Why did these people move here in the first place if they now want to change it. It wont be long before we join into Telford and Telford and Wrekin Councillors have their way and we all become part of Telford. This was their plan way back when Telford was first mooted. Dawley, Madeley and Stirchley etc. have lost their own identities. Do we really need or want to lose ours.NO. NO. NO.
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I wonder whether all the whingers would like to explain what they think was where their homes were 20, 50 or 100 years ago?
Let me give you a clue, probably swathes of land that cattle were kept on?
Newport home of I’m Alright Jack.
Although I suppose extra housing where their kin can settle will be in order………….
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As one of the whingers I can confidently say that 20 years ago my house was where it is now, 50 years ago it was a derelict railway line and 100 years ago a fully functioning one. In other words a BROWNFIELD site!
Which is very unlike the land that the proposed ‘Telfport’ extension is to be built on.
May I kindly suggest that if you don’t have the first clue what it is that you’re talking about then it might be best to keep your mouth (or typing fingers) quiet?
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there’s never a banjo shop when you need one is there?
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Actually there is one about to open on St. Marys Street…
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Even when Newport had a Tesco it was barely used and it was bang in the middle of the High Street! There’s no need for another supermarket, especially not one of that size and while there is always going to be a need for more housing, there are plenty of brown sites that could do with developing before one of the more beautiful spots!
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