2,000 sign petition against Ellesmere homes

The equivalent of more than half the population of Ellesmere has now signed a petition against proposals for 22 new homes near the Mere.

Campaigners fighting the potential development at the beauty spot were out in force at the Ellesmere Triathlon at the weekend asking people to sign up and have now collected more than 2,000 signatures.

The proposals earmarked for land between Swan Hill and the cemetery form part of Shropshire Council's new planning policy, known as SAMDev.

Kieron Williams, leading the Save Our Mere campaign, said received a great deal of support at the triathlon.

He said: "The reaction was good. One of the things we have found is that most of the people in the town have signed it now.

"There were lots of visitors though, willing to sign. We were right there at the triathlon so we could point to where the houses were going to be and people were quite shocked. They went for a walk and said: 'Crikey, it is going to look awful.'

"We have had the petition in pretty much every shop."

The deal to build 22 homes by The Mere could see developers provide an adjoining strip of land for a much-needed expansion of the cemetery.

Last month more than 100 residents packed a heated public meeting to call for the controversial proposals to be scrapped.

Shropshire Council member for Ellesmere, Ann Hartley, said she had heard residents 'loud and clear' and would try to see to it that the land was not put forward for development. Mr Williams will collect all the signatures on Friday.

He will present the petition to the town council and send it to Shropshire Council on July 11.

View the proposed sites and comment by July 20 at www.shropshire.gov.uk/samdev