Planners roasted over town's future

James Cunliffe

More than 130 residents have demanded that planners 'go back to the drawing board' over a town's future.

A spokesman for the Flitwick at the Crossroads residents' group hotly disputed claims that the proposed redevelopment 'will put the heart back into Flitwick town centre'.

Residents' feelings were made known by those who turned out at two packed meetings on Thursday evening.

It was stressed that the parallel proposal by Flitwick Town and Mid-Beds District councils to rebuild the leisure centre on the only expanse of green space in the centre of the town should not be divorced from those to redevelop the Tesco and station sites.

Particularly strong opposition was voiced to the relocation of the leisure centre to the Millennium Park and to construction of a new Tesco filling station on the adjacent A5120.

Residents were also against the expansion of the Tesco store but were more supportive of proposals to rejuvenate the station area.

There was particular concern that the needs of people living east of the railway had not been considered.

Dr Arthur Bourne, who chaired both meetings, said: " We urge developers to think again, not least about the potential for complete traffic gridlock implicit in the current proposals.

"They should also put some real effort in addressing the human dimension of what Flitwick aspires to be and not replicate the worst of 1960s' new town planning."

The Flitwick at the Crossroads residents group is now analysing detailed questionnaires to consolidate views and put forward to the planners constructive and realistic ideas for the way forward.