Town council objects to supermarket and care plan

A plan for a new supermarket, care homes and nursery in a Herefordshire town faces its first major objection.

Bromyard Town Council has formally objected to the plan for land off the B4214 Tenbury Road to the northeast of the town, on industrial land near the current Co-op supermarket.

The town council “is very concerned about the ongoing loss of industrial land to housing and commercial developments”, its submission to the planning consultation (number 242061) said, adding it “feels strongly that employment land should be safeguarded for business and employment use”.

Meanwhile the proposal put forward by Birmingham-based Opulent Property Group to include a new intensive care unit and extra care apartments on the land “is likely to place undue strain on local GP services”, councillors said.

They also considered the proposal to convert an existing but apparently never used two-storey business unit into a children’s nursery would be “inappropriate next to an industrial estate”.

And they raised further concerns over flooding, noise, water supply and sewerage.

Jonathan Cooper, resident of nearby Edwyn Ralph, objected that the land proposed for the care facilities was “critical for the future development of the major and new employers based on the current Porthouse industrial estate, providing actual jobs for skilled people that live in Bromyard”.

Whereas the care facilities “would be filled mostly by people from outside of Bromyard, as is evident from other facilities in the locality”, he claimed.

But Bromyard resident Katherine Earl said the proposals would bring “employment opportunities and support for incoming families”, adding: “This is a monopoly of care within Herefordshire care homes”.

And “speaking on behalf of the young people of Bromyard”, Lydia Weaver said the proposals “are essential in the growth and development of our town”, and that “our current supermarkets are far too expensive which is driving people to shop/live from further afar”.

Comments on the application can be made until February 27.