Protest call on club plan
A civic society leader has urged people to voice their opposition to controversial proposals to re-site a Powys bowling club after concerns it was not in the best interests of residents.
Members of Newtown and District Civic Society said a public exhibition showcasing the plans for Newtown Bowling Club had failed to convince them they were a good idea.
Oswestry firm J Ross Developments wants to build a supermarket on the bowling club site in Back Lane and move the club to The Park.
The firm said siting a store on the edge of Newtown would be preferable to another new, out-of-town supermarket.
But the Civic Society said it still thought relocating the bowling club was not in the best interests of the people of Newtown.
Society president David Pugh said: "We are now aware of the huge opposition there is within the town and from much further afield to the proposal to relocate the bowling club."
He urged people to object to the relocation and added: "We wish to thank all those who signed our petition to the Welsh Assembly Government and also the many people who have already written letters of objection to the planning authority.
"People who have not yet written letters of objection can still do so as the advertising of the planning application to relocate the club has been contrary to the Local Plan.
"This means that letters of objection will be accepted by the planning manager at Powys County Council Offices in Welshpool up until August 2."
Today Mr John Cooper, of J Ross Developments, said: "Over 150 local residents attended J Ross Developments' public exhibition, and we were grateful to discuss the foodstore and the new bowling club proposals with them.
"We were also pleased the vast majority of those who we spoke with would prefer to see a centrally located foodstore rather than a large out-of-town superstore on the former Smithfield site, which would damage town centre trade.
"J Ross Developments ho- pes to stay in regular contact with Newtown Civic Society and with the local community to continue discussions. We saw at the exhibition that many people were not aware of the local importance of the bowling club."
By Tamlyn Jones